'RUNNING WITH ARNOLD' GIVES SNIPPINESS, SNIDENESS A WORKOUT.Byline: BOB STRAUSS >FILM CRITIC With Gov. Schwarzenegger sounding a little more like a real Republican this month, I suppose a muckraking muck·rake intr.v. muck·raked, muck·rak·ing, muck·rakes To search for and expose misconduct in public life. [From the man with the muckrake, documentary such as "Running With Arnold" is in order. Still, this short, data-filled, Alec Baldwin-narrated film comes off superficial and snide, despite pointing out a couple of things that really ought to worry everyone about the Governator. Directed by Variety's former film editor Dan Cox, "Running" succinctly recaps Arnold's rise from skinny Austrian country boy to record-breaking bodybuilding bodybuilding Developing of the physique through exercise and diet, often for competitive exhibition. Bodybuilding aims at displaying pronounced muscle tone and exaggerated muscle mass and definition for overall aesthetic effect. champ, Hollywood superstar and Kennedy by marriage. The main focus is on his run for and first three years as California governor, and Cox makes pertinent points about how the candidate dodged serious journalistic inquiry and the office holder, while claiming to be so rich he's free from special interests, is actually as deep in bed with corporate contributors as any politician in state history. But Cox also found it necessary to trot out to lead or bring out, as a horse, to show his paces; hence, to bring forward, as for exhibition. See also: Trot every personal accusation ever made against Schwarzenegger, from all of that groping grope v. groped, grop·ing, gropes v.intr. 1. To reach about uncertainly; feel one's way: groped for the telephone. 2. and infidelity business to hints of Nazi connections. The governor's progressive cultural beliefs are noted, but every effort is made to suggest he's hypocritical about them, too. And the filmmaker seems to take told-ya-so delight in footage of Arnold apologizing for mistakes or admitting he was wrong -- as if that's some kind of character flaw A character flaw is a limitation, imperfection, problem, phobia, or deficiency present in a character who may be otherwise very functional. The flaw can be a problem that directly affects the character's actions and abilities, such as a missing arm or a violent temper. at a time when most Republicans refuse to acknowledge they've done anything bad. Anyway, assorted comedians (Bill Maher, Rob Schneider) make glib Ah-nold jokes, which adds to the overall sense of snippy snip·py adj. snip·pi·er, snip·pi·est Informal 1. Sharp-tongued; impertinent: shocked by his snippy retort. 2. Occurring in pieces; fragmentary. trivialization. There's a fascinating documentary to be made about this unique politician, who's simultaneously far more honest and slickly calculating, open-minded and ruthlessly expedient than most of his ilk. But this is a would-be hatchet hatchet: see tomahawk. job that's too petty to cut past the Governator's protective beefcake beef·cake n. Informal 1. Images, especially photographs, of minimally attired men with muscular physiques. 2. Attractive men with muscular physiques, such as those in these images. . Bob Strauss (818) 713-3670 bob.strauss@dailynews.com RUNNING WITH ARNOLD - Two and one half stars >Not rated: language, sexual references. >Director: Dan Cox. >Running time: 1 hr. 11 min. >Playing: Sunset 5, West Hollywood. >In a nutshell: Information-packed but superficial anti-Schwarzenegger documentary. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Gov. Schwarzenegger is the subject of the Dan Cox-directed documentary "Running With Arnold." RICH PEDRONCELLI> ASSOCIATED PRESS |
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