Watch Spinning Boris

Spinning Boris is a 2003 political drama film that explores the intense and secretive world of Russian politics. Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, Spinning Boris is a historical retelling of the 1996 Russian presidential election. The movie revolves around the Clinton Administration's efforts to ensure Boris Yeltsin's reelection as the president of Russia. The heads of the administration hire three American political consultants, George Gorton, Joe Shumate, and Richard Dresner, to help Boris Yeltsin get re-elected.

The consultants arrive in Moscow, only to find that the Russian culture is in stark contrast to their own. However, they soon discover that the Russian political system is equally as complicated as their own. The consultants are hired by Anatoly Chubais, Boris Yeltsin's campaign manager, to "spin" the campaign in the American style.

The movie shows how the consultants worked hard to understand Russian culture and politics. They conduct focus groups, design advertising campaigns, and hold rallies to appeal to the Russian electorate. One moment of note is when George Gorton brings in the "God Bless America" song as a soundtrack for one of the campaign commercials, which initially gets laughed at but later becomes extremely popular among the Russian people.

As the election approaches, the consultants discover that their efforts are being undermined by the Communists who have their own agenda. The consultants suspect that the Communists are receiving financial aid from the Chinese to finance their campaign. This suspicion leads to a strategy meeting between the consultants and Clinton's political advisor. The meeting becomes more of an interrogation by the FBI, who are investigating any potential foreign involvement which may impact the election. This leads to a tense relationship between the Americans and Russians as the Russians believe the Americans are meddling in their affairs.

The consultants get increasingly worried and decide to play a trump card – they enlist the help of Russian billionaire Boris Berezovsky. Berezovsky is famous for his lobbying and PR work and has a reputation for playing dirty. The consultants decide to approach him to help them win the election. Berezovsky agrees but wants a big part of the deal, with the condition that he will only help if the consultants make a documentary about him to improve his image in the West.

The documentary is produced and becomes a massive hit among Russian voters. Berezovsky is also able to pull off a large-scale money-laundering campaign to help Yeltsin win the election. Finally, the day of the election arrives, and the consultants are on tenterhooks waiting for the result. They watch as the final votes come in, and Yeltsin wins by a clear margin.

The movie ends with the consultants heading back to America, disappearing quickly from the limelight after doing their job. However, they realize that they have started a chain reaction that could have severe consequences for Russian politics.

Overall, Spinning Boris is a fascinating and insightful political drama film that provides a behind-the-scenes look at political campaigns in another part of the world. The gripping plot keeps viewers engaged and guessing until the end. The film offers a unique perspective on political campaigns and encourages viewers to think more critically about the political propaganda they are presented with. Jeff Goldblum, Anthony LaPaglia, and Liev Schreiber in the lead roles, deliver fantastic performances and successfully portray the complex characters that make this film so compelling.

Spinning Boris is a 2003 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 52 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.6.