“All the King’s Men” Starring: Sean Penn, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslet Directed by… “All the King’s Men” Starring: Sean Penn, Jude Law, Anthony Hopkins, Kate Winslet Directed by Steven Zaillian

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How do ethics relate to politics? Do they actually exist? Is it right to do wrong so that ultimately one can do right? Can Jude Law pull off a Southern accent? Such questions lie at the heart of “All the King’s Men,” one of the first Oscar contenders to hit theaters this fall.

“Tiny” Duffy (James Gandolfini) and Sadie (Patricia Clarkson) are using Willie Stark (Sean Penn) as a political puppet, coaxing him to join the Louisiana race for governor in the 1930s. Stark catches on to their scheme and starts running the campaign his way: He starts speaking to “the people,” or the lower-class constituents.

Jack (Jude Law) was born into Southern wealth, but chooses instead to write for a local newspaper and follows Stark’s campaign.

When Stark’s campaign switches gears, his speech is filled with classic rhetoric, full of anger and passion at a time when people said what they thought and said it directly. The style is refreshing, seeing as the closest example we have of it nowadays is Howard Dean’s emotional “byah” at the 2004 Democratic Convention. But unlike Dean’s speech, that emotion, passion and genuine care for the people actually helps Willie Stark win the election by a landslide.

The delayed release of “All the King’s Men” has created bad buzz in spite of the talent involved. And while director Steven Zaillian’s version isn’t the bomb some projected it to be, it’s unlikely to bring home the Oscar for Best Picture the way the original did in 1949.

Penn bites into his character with the type of bravado that could very well earn him a nomination. His very externalized character wants change and works for the people while shouting phrases like, “If you don’t vote, you don’t matta!” But his accent can be slightly frustrating, as he enunciates strangely and mumbles.

Meanwhile, Law captures Jack with a subtle, less showy performance, although his English accent breaks through every so often. Jack is the weasel, slowly crouching and moving along in the grass while Penn is more like a bear as he tears into speeches and through the scenes.

Most of the action follows Governor Stark’s attempts to tax big businesses and the rich. Those higher up in the food chain want to blackmail Stark and impeach him. He won’t be swayed by superficial things, but this doesn’t prevent him from looking for some dirt of his own to throw.

After quitting the paper, Jack is hired by Stark to find dirt on Judge Irwin (Anthony Hopkins), an extremely influential judge who will ultimately affect the decision to impeach Stark. Of course, everything is complicated by Irwin’s link to Jack – he was a father figure to him – and now Stark wants Jack to blackmail him.

“All the King’s Men” features a rich and textured look that is dark and gritty during some scenes and glowing and radiant in others. The camera beautifully captures swamps, huge weeping willows and Southern estates.

“All the King’s Men” could have used a little tightening in the script and in the editing room – it drags slightly in the second act with the overuse of flashbacks and voiceover. Although the dialogue is intelligent and thick, filled with metaphorical language, it leaves something to be desired with regard to characterization.

Stark in particular could have been stronger, since time seems to have been spent creating interesting speeches for him instead of creating a full character. He oozes a slight menace, but he doesn’t feel like a bad character, just one willing to do what it takes to accomplish the best for people.

It’s hard to grasp his motivations and what makes him tick, and this is pretty much uniform with the other characters. No one is particularly sympathetic, and all seem to be out to better their own situations.

At its core, “All the King’s Men” is about the corruption of politics and the drama that occurs behind the scenes. Unfortunately, these themes are tossed to the side in favor of Jack’s story. But Zaillian keeps us engaged with rousing speeches, strong performances, a strong cinematic palate and a deep, integrated story. If the summer movie season produces mostly cotton candy – empty calories – then “All the King’s Men” offers something more substantial.