This fantasy was conceived before British Prime Minister Tony Blair actually quit politics, so the scenario envisaged might already put some people off, due to the fiction involving Blair being in power for a few more years before quitting. In any case, it works quite well as a "What if...?" story, or alternative world story.
In this movie, Blair announces his retirement and looks to find a role for himself in business and society. He instead has to face charges that he is a war criminal. So, the trajectory of the plot is Blair starting out as Prime Minister, and then ends with him about to face trial on war crime charges. Thankfully, no outcome to the trial is envisaged...you can let your imagination run free!
Imbetween, we see Blair as a man haunted by the ghosts of his actions...literally. A plus for this story is how Blair is portrayed as a man who lives in his own world...he tries to shut out the reality of his situation the best he can. He and his wife, Cherie, have, amusingly, a foul mouth, which get quite a work out when reality and Blair's deluded fantasy refuse to mix.
There is some delicious irony in the plot concerning Tony's past and the situation he now finds himself in. The satire is quite pointed as well, at times. Some of the scenes are painfully embarrassing to watch, like Tony's successor Gordon Brown, on the campaign trail...and the same goes for his conservative opponent...they both really make you squirm uncomfortably.
There were some laugh out loud moments in this film, but it is mostly 'dry' humour. To its credit, it also has a very strong basis in plausibility. Just today, I think, I read in the news that there are moves afoot to release documents on Blair's cabinet discussions on whether the Iraq war was actually legal, or not.
The slant of this movie is very left-wing, so if you buy Blair's "third way" spiel and his motives for supporting the US in the Iraq war, you may take umbrage that Tony Blair is even considered to be a war criminal.
