Tribeca Film Festival 2012: Rob Lowe Stars In Knife Fight And Shares His Favorite Political Films

Rob Lowe is no stranger to political plot lines. The actor starred in The West Wing and in such sardonic indies as Thank You For Smoking. Now he has taken on the role of a government spin doctor in Knife Fight. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival this week and has already been generating buzz for its clever portrayal of backstage political drama. Lowe stars as Paul Turner, an innovative election strategist who has the ability to mold disgrace into campaign gold.

The International Business Times had the chance to ask Lowe to name some of his favorite political satire films. He believes them to be inherently cynical at their core while Knife Fight reflects the more positive elements of politcial maneuvering.

Wag The Dog (1997): This dark comedy not only has an incredible cast, it's also one of the most interesting explorations of dishonesty in the White House. Robert DeNiro stars as a government offical who enlists the aid of a Hollywood movie producer, played by Dustin Hoffman. Together the two stage a fictitious war with Albania in order to detract from the president's affair with an underage girl. Woodly Harrelson is this icing on the cake as a criminally insane man who they try to play off as a war hero.

Primary Colors (1998): Lowe loves this controversial gem. It's not a stretch to say that the producers of the film were somewhat thrilled when the Clinton scandal erupted in 1998, not to long before the black comedy was released. The film was inspired by Bill Clinton's 1992 bid for the presidency. John Travola took on the role after Tom Hanks turned it down out of respect for Clinton. He stars as John Staton, who is foolish and adulterous yet manages to win the election. This film also features stellar performances from Emma Thompson and Billy Bob Thornton.

The War Room (1993): A film that Lowe names as his all-time favorite political movie that is unabashedly a love letter. The documentary was filmed during Clinton's 1992 campaign. The actor notes that the speech given by James Carville (Clinton's lead strategist) at the end of the film is the best speech anybody has ever given.