Movie review - "Wag the Dog" (1998) ***1/2

Excellent satire which still works well. A presidential scandal threatens the president's re-election so fix-it man Robert de Niro (a nice unshowy performance) gets Hollywood producer (Dustin Hoffman) to invent a war with Albania. Hoffman is hilarious as the suntanned producer who refuses to panic - on film sets I have seen people intone his 'This is nothing' when confronted with a problem. The ending is unexpectedly touching. It does feel as though it needs another act. Some great lines, good performances all round.