Film Review: THE CONGRESSMAN

The congressman, the librarian and the beautiful island.

The biggest question this film raises is, why haven't we seen more of Treat Williams? The seasoned actor who burst onto the scene back in 1979 (in the film version of Hair) has done a fair amount of work since then but kept a very low profile. He's certainly visible here in the title role of The Congressman, included in just about every scene and pretty much the only recognizable face.

The story is fairly old news: Williams plays Charlie Winship, a newly-divorced congressman from Maine who has way more scruples than everyone else. The heartless creeps in Washington dog his footsteps for failing to stand for the pledge of allegiance during a congressional session, a sin caught on camera and spread by the even more heartless members of the media. Fortunately, Charlie is scheduled for a visit to an island off the coast of Maine to meet with a bunch of irate lobstermen from his district who are in the throes of a dispute over fishing rights. It's a nice island where he gradually unwinds and glimpses a different kind of life. He meets the town librarian. They flirt. She makes him dinner, they sleep together, and that's pretty much it for Charlie and the hallowed halls of Congress.

Forget the plot and go for the scenery. The fake beautiful island off the coast of Maine is played by a real beautiful island off the coast of Maine called Monhegan. It's the true star of the film. You'll want to go there.