Wag the Dog: Häntä heiluttaa koiraa

An American filmmaking experience from the 1990s with perfect performances and a premise that a lot of people probably still don’t realize is a part of our daily lives. The performances might have been a little emotionless but otherwise it is a great piece. (20.10.2020)

What a bunch of nonsense! The film, which is meant to show how the government can manipulate public opinion through the media, tries to fool the viewer into thinking that it actually takes only three people to do this. Sure, it's satire, but it goes against sound logic and is absolutely toothless. With a few exceptions, the characters don't let anything out of their mouths that has any impact or wit. DeNiro and Hoffman are great but actually shoot blanks for ninety minutes. At least the film had potential at the time it was made; over the years it has lost even that. (27.05.2009)

Not fully appreciated film delight about how it works in politics and media (not only) in the United States... Perfectly crafted screenplay with a great punchline, sarcastic lines, precise casting, and flawless performances. It's hard to say whether De Niro or Hoffman is better because both excel. Among the series of notable smaller roles, Anne Heche as a worker in the political secretariat and H. Macy as an intelligence agent stand out ("I only know two things - oatmeal tastes awful and we're not at war!"). A film with intelligent dialogues intended for thoughtful viewers. Overall impression 95%. (22.04.2007)

This is what I call a timeless film. It will soon celebrate its thirtieth anniversary, but it’s still relevant today because Americans wag the dog quite often. The nuclear threat has become too much of a cliché, so now American heroes are forced to save the world by attacking countries in possession of chemical weapons (allegedly) and a very weak air force (definitely). The cast was star-studded, the screenplay was well-written, and it’s another proof that Leni Riefenstahl knew what she was doing – when it comes to propaganda, she still has followers. (17.01.2022)

A nice side piece by Levinson, put together in two weeks, and it's not even noticeable. It's great to watch and the theme of the film becomes more relevant in this time of the Iraq war. Albania or Iraq, it often works out the same. (11.05.2003)