Jay Bulworth (Warren Beatty), a financially ruined senator, is now disillusioned with politics. The forlorn statesman orders a contract killing -- the target himself -- so his family will be able to collect a fortune from his insurance policy. Facing imminent death, a devil-may-care Bulworth speaks his mind in public, forsaking platitudes for honest but controversial observations. But when he falls in love with a hip young woman (Halle Berry), Bulworth urgently rethinks his impending murder. A public hungry for authenticity responds strongly, foreshadowing recent developments.

This film is the third in a five-part series entitled HOW IN THE WORLD DID WE GET HERE?? American Politics and Film.

Michael Krasner, political science professor emeritus and long-time political activist, designed this series to provide an entertaining framework for political analysis and will introduce each film and then lead in-depth discussions after each showing.