Primary Colors

(Universal)

Mike Nichols's much-hyped, eagerly awaited take on the Joe Klein (a/k/a "Anonymous") roman à clef about Bill Clinton's 1992 presidential-primary campaign proves to be pallidly mediocre. Travolta's candidate Jack Stanton is a beguiling mix of charm, will, appetite, sleaze, and vision until he breaks down into doughnut-stuffing caricature. More effective is Emma Thompson as wife Susan, nailing down the diamond-hard but still elusive Hillary.