After years of adopting highbrow novels for the big screen, Merchant and Ivory made a movie about Thomas Jefferson's years as an ambassador for the fledgling United States. "Jefferson in Paris" casts Nick Nolte as the future president, faced with the dilemma of promoting freedom while owning people as property, and having a fling with a British-Italian socialite (Greta Scacchi).
Since there was no doubt a lot to focus on, I think that this probably would've worked better as a miniseries. Even so, we still learn a fair amount - although I don't know exactly how accurate it is - and the cast members play their roles well. In addition to Nolte and Scacchi, it has James Earl Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow, Thandiwe Newton, Seth Gilliam (Gabriel on "The Walking Dead"), Simon Callow, Vincent Cassel and Nancy Marchand (Tony's mom on "The Sopranos").
Not a masterpiece, but passable.
Since there was no doubt a lot to focus on, I think that this probably would've worked better as a miniseries. Even so, we still learn a fair amount - although I don't know exactly how accurate it is - and the cast members play their roles well. In addition to Nolte and Scacchi, it has James Earl Jones, Gwyneth Paltrow, Thandiwe Newton, Seth Gilliam (Gabriel on "The Walking Dead"), Simon Callow, Vincent Cassel and Nancy Marchand (Tony's mom on "The Sopranos").
Not a masterpiece, but passable.