If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.

This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Dull, and not very objective in its story-telling (like many Sean Penn movies). Apparently based on a true story, it would be good to know how much of it is actually true. You get the sneaky feeling that a (mostly) fictional back-story was added to an event, with a left-wing agenda.Too much time spent on minor details, and thus very slow-developing. Problem is, without all the padding, it would probably be less an hour long! Hardly a movie, then.Sean Penn is perfectly cast as the would-be assassin: I would always have picked him as the actor most likely to assassinate a Republican president. His performance, in keeping with the slow-moving pace of the movie, is stunted, frustrating and irritating.

One more time, I have watched a movie, a great one that so underrated that it makes me sick.This movie is so good. It reminds of Taxi Driver, but I do prefer this one although the other one was great), because I think here we have a very close look to what can make an honest, decent man go wild. Then you understand what the system do to the people, and although I completely disagree with Sam Bicke's attitude, I can understand why he did it. I we can see the human being behind it, maybe a regular person can become mad if everything turns against him.Sean Penn is acting was no less than awesome! I got surprised and disappointed how could him not be nominated for almost anything! What happens with the guys of the Critic Board, Academy, Golden Globe or similar retarded people. We have here a masterpiece, a great achievement. Penn just gave another brilliant performance, and you didn't give a damn. Shame on you. One of Penn's best!This movie is very great and I truly recommend it!

I made this account specifically to tell you how bad this movie is.If you wanted to watch a really drawn out predictable movie on how someones unmotivated life leads them to be a killer, which doesn't really fit into the reason he became crazy and hatched the worst plan ever of crashing into the white house. This is a low budget movie with low budget result. Do not waste your time watching this movie do not waste your time watching this movieIf this is a true story its not worth writing a movie about it, a small fish in a big sea. Its just not a good movie. Its just not. go watch good will hunting.

1974. Sean Penn gives one of his best, most gripping and credible performances to date as Samuel J. Bicke, a bitter, disaffected and painfully ineffectual everyman loser whose life is rapidly falling apart: His fed-up ex-wife Marie (superbly played by Niomi Watts) wants to finalize their divorce, he's faltering at his job as a furniture salesman, and his attempt at starting his own business proves to be both abortive and ill-advised. Increasingly angry and frustrated, Bicke comes up with a desperate plan to hijack a plane and fly it into the Whitehouse in order to make things right. Director/co-writer Niels Mueller delivers an undeniably dark and upsetting, yet still potent and riveting portrait of a sad bumbler and his total descent into madness and despair. Moreover, this movie articulates a powerful and provocative message about the unfairness of the American system and how having the American Dream isn't an easily obtainable goal everyone can effectively accomplish. Granted, this picture becomes more grim and depressing as it progresses towards its startling downbeat conclusion, but fortunately there are a few surprising moments of inspired dry humor, with Bicke's proposal to Black Panther leader Harold Mann (the always fine Mykelti Williamson) that he changes the group's name to the Zebras and allow whites to be able to join rating as a small gem. Penn really gets under the skin of the timid, oversensitive and incompetent Bicke; he captures the man's pain and anguish with bracing pathos and acuity. The supporting cast is likewise top-notch, with outstanding contributions from Don Cheadle as Bicke's loyal friend Bonny Simmons, Jack Thompson as Bicke's jolly, bearish no-nonsense boss Jack Jones, and Michael Wincott as Bicke's hard-nosed brother Julius. Emmanuel Lubezki's polished cinematography and Steven Stern's spare, moody score, and the meticulous evocation of the 70's are all up to speed. But what really makes this movie work so well is its admirable refusal to either explain or sentimentalize Sam Bicke; the film just shows you this poor feckless man as he is and let's you make up your own mind want to think about him. An absolute powerhouse.