# Wag the Dog (1997)

> A presidential adviser and a Hollywood producer fabricate a foreign war to rescue a scandal-plagued reelection campaign, turning political deception into media spectacle.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/movie/467

## Facts

- Runtime: 97 min
- Genres: Comedy, Drama
- Director: Barry Levinson
- Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Anne Heche, Woody Harrelson, Denis Leary, Willie Nelson, Andrea Martin, Kirsten Dunst
- TMDB rating: 6.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120885/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: moderate
- Complexity: layered
- Violence: none
- Mood: witty, cynical, irreverent, political film night, discussion group viewing

## Synopsis

A political scandal ignites a manufactured war, revealing the absurdity of media manipulation.

## Movies like Wag the Dog

- [Bob Roberts (1992)](https://ember.film/movie/5677)
- [Dave (1993)](https://ember.film/movie/6533)
- [American Dreamz (2006)](https://ember.film/movie/4510)
- [In the Loop (2009)](https://ember.film/movie/11971)
- [The American President (1995)](https://ember.film/movie/4438)
- [Dick (1999)](https://ember.film/movie/9938)
- [Primary Colors (1998)](https://ember.film/movie/4628)
- [Fail Safe (2000)](https://ember.film/movie/19375)
- [The Player (1992)](https://ember.film/movie/5491)
- [Shock and Awe (2017)](https://ember.film/movie/325952)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt