How about this timing? "Primary Colors"

I had never seen this movie adaptation of the book about a power couple chasing the White House. In that case, it was in 1992, the fella was the would-be President. But here we are 16 years later, with the missus now jockeying for the Oval Office. A better time to see if "Primary Colors" was any good, I could not hope for.

Our story follows a young black man as he joins the fledgling presidential campaign of the governor of a small Southern state. At first dismissed as a longshot, Jack Stanton -- joined by his hard-edged wife, Susan -- charms anyone he can to make gains. Meanwhile, scandal after scandal -- most of sexual -- erupts, testing the campaign and revealing more and more about the Stantons' character. Sound familiar? Geez, they should have just called this "The Michael Dukakis Story."

Yes, we're talking about the Clintons, which was clear even without pictures in the novel. The book wasn't bad -- definitely easy to read, once you got by the whole "Anonymous" gimmick. But when the movie came out, I remember thinking John Travolta was all wrong for the lead, and that pretty much did me in as far as paying good money for a ticket.

As it turns out, he's not that bad. Hard to take seriously, even as a caricature, and that chin doesn't help, but he's not unwatchable. Playing his wife is Emma Thompson, and while she's got the pantsuit schtick down, her British accent slips through now and then, and I would have expected a little better overall.

Some other big names: Billy Bob Thornton as a James Carville type, and Kathy Bates as a fierce lesbian hired to head off the mudslingers. She might be the most interesting person of all, even if she overacts a bit, too. There's a whole host of other familiar faces: Chelcie Ross, Paul Guilfoyle, Tony Shalhoub, Mykelti Williamson, Maura Tierney, Allison Janney. Maybe the most surprising of all: Larry Hagman as another presidential candidate. Hell, I didn't even know he was still acting in 1998. And you know what? He was pretty good.

All in all, "Colors" is easy enough to watch, if only for appreciating the familiar mannerisms and travails of our 42nd president. But it's also too long at two-plus hours, and kind of smug. Not surprising given it's a Mike Nichols movie. Talented guy with an impressive resume, but it seems many of his films have a whiff of smartiness. Don't agree? Check this nugget from IMDB:

"Was interested to direct "First Blood" with Dustin Hoffman as John Rambo."

That's all we need ... Ratso Rizzo/Raymond Babbitt as a killing machine. "Hot rifle kill baby! Hot rifle kill baby! AAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"