Excellent but underrated film

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

The movie turns out to be a little better than the average. Starting from a romantic formula often seen in the cinema, it ends in the most predictable (and somewhat bland) way.

This delightful hour drama is well made and multi-faceted. It is immediately about Citizen Bain's relationship with his career which has unceremoniously ended when he failed to be re-elected; it is about his struggle to discover how he will re-establish himself; how he will find meaning in a life that had for several decades been defined by politics. He is trying to change tempo in life. Citizen Bain had marched to the beat of Washington D.C.; now he must find the cadence of Seattle, Washington.But on a more complex level, it is about his relationship with his three grown daughters. The youngest lives with him as she still hasn't found herself. She appears perfectly happy to go on living in his home indefinitely. She marches to the beat of her own drummer, often to the chagrin of her family, but she adores her father and will do anything to support him.His second daughter is far less satisfying. This daughter has separated from her professor husband for rather weak reasons and moved without asking, back into Citizen Bain's home along with her totally unruly children. When the kids interact with their aunt or their grandfather (Citizen Bain) there is no effort to establish boundaries and the negligent mother just looks on. Geez! Where's an adult when you need one? This woman left her husband simply because he admitted he had fantasized on one occasion! The wife feels that violates the >marriage vows and clearly sees no need to discipline her kids. I get very anxious for her and her children's scenes to end. I find her annoying.Finally, there's the oldest daughter who managed her Dad's failed campaign. She's an attorney and is happily (we think) married to a physician. It appears that she is the heir apparent who will follow her father's lead and throw her hat in the ring. I like the fact that the sisters are so different from each other, from an economic stand point.This show is very well written, directed and acted. If you appreciate a good production, this is a safe bet.There is an interesting texture of personal stories for each character, conflicting interests and missed goals for several of the characters. I enjoy drama's about relationships and Citizen Bain is rich in them.