The third in screenwriter Peter Morgan’s trilogy on Tony Blair, following The Deal, which aired on HBO, and the Academy Award-nominated film The Queen, The Special Relationship stars Michael Sheen as Tony Blair and Dennis Quaid as Bill Clinton.

In 1993, ambitious British politician Tony Blair arrives in Washington D.C. to meet with advisors who helped bring Bill Clinton into office. At his meeting, Blair is given war room wisdom: “Listen to what the people are saying. It’s easier to change what the party stands for than what the people want.” Three years later, Blair puts the advice to work, declaring “Je suis European” at a speech in Paris, committing himself to his fellow Continentals.

When both Blair and Clinton are swept into office, Clinton shares with Blair his excitement over their “unique opportunity” to advance their center-left ideas and bring genuine change over the next few years. As the two men continue their terms in office, world and personal events determine which man has the upper hand in the long-standing alliance. The conflict in Northern Ireland, the Monica Lewinsky scandal, and differing strategies about the crisis in Kosovo all play a part in shifting their positions on the world stage, and their opinions of each other. And when the 2000 election brings new leadership into the White House, it is up to Blair to decide how the relationship will carry on.

Alexandre Desplat adds another extraordinary score to his long list of recent achievements (The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button, The Queen, Twilight: New Moon).