Sean Penn is not a happy man. Sitting in on a Toronto International Film Festival press conference for his new movie "All the King's Men," the famously prickly actor has just been asked by a reporter to name his favorite musical CD. That's certainly not the type of question he'd expect when discussing a politically charged film, where he stars as Willie Stark, a fictionalized version of notoriously corrupt Louisiana governor Huey P. Long who took his state by storm in the '30s.

Ten minutes later, Penn is puffing on a cigarette -- obviously annoyed by the lowbrow question. Even Penn's co-stars -- Kate Winslet, Patricia Clarkson, Mark Ruffalo and James Gandolfini -- seem perplexed by what direction the event will go next. Other reporters in attendance smartly realize the modern-day political parallels of "King's Men," and Penn is asked whether he still thinks movies can influence public opinion.

"You keep living for the day that you can live for the day where you can answer, very quickly, that movies can change things," Penn responds. "But, I'm not so sure."

Long-time Democratic consultant James Carville, earning his first movie executive producer credit, thinks the film's themes will open people's minds during this upcoming election season.

"I hope it gets people to think, and what I particularly love with this film is that you can follow it, but it allows the viewer wide leeway in driving their own conclusions," Carville says.

Many will see Penn's character, Stark, as evil whereas others will see him as just a man needing to do what had to be done -- very similar to the current public opinion of President Bush.

"Corruption doesn't qualify it as evil to me," Penn says. "This goes back to a well-written character [which] breeds enthusiasm for acting. I can't take credit for that three dimensionality -- most of that was supplied for me."

Carville, on the other hand, is glad for the historical similarities.

"Thank god for the corruption in American politics," Carville says. "I will say this in defense of my home state: We did have some crooked politicians, but they had the good graces to entertain us."

And when it comes to a politically charged movie, that's the bottom line.

"All the King's Men" opens nationwide Sept. 22.