‘Game Change’ most watched HBO original movie in 8 years

HBO's "Game Change," the controversial movie about John McCain and Sarah Palin's 2008 presidential campaign, drew 2.1 million viewers on Saturday—the largest audience for an original movie on the cable network in eight years. Counting repeats, the film, starring Julianne Moore as Palin and Ed Harris as McCain, drew a total of 3.6 million viewers for HBO. "Something the Lord Made," starring Alan Rickman and Mos Def, drew 2.6 million for HBO in May 2004.

"Game Change," based on the book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, got a promotional boost from Palin herself when she denounced it as manipulative and biased.

Woody Harrelson, who portrayed campaign consultant Steve Schmidt, told Men's Journal that while the Republican party "makes me weep for humanity," he grew to respect Schmidt during the shoot.

"I wouldn't imagine myself wanting to have anything to do with the guy, but I really found myself liking him," Harrelson said. "He's a political animal, but I feel like he's an idealist and not bogged down in all the bullshit. Let's face it. Obama was a phenomenon. They knew they were going to get beat, so choosing Palin was just a Hail Mary pass. It was just a wild idea."

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