Election

Rating:
Summary: SOOOO Funny.....in So many ways!
Review: This movie always keeps you laughing. It never has a dull moment! There is always something to laugh about....the heartbroken lesbian teen......the overachieving snot.......the nutty obsessed cheating teacher.....a guaranteed hit!!! Buy This!

Rating:
Summary: One of the Best Films of 1999
Review: 1999 was a good year for Reese Witherspoon. First she stars in the hit film "Cruel Intentions", marries her co-star from that film, Ryan Philippe, gives birth to a baby girl, and was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical. That nomination, which was for her performance in "Election" was well-deserved, in what I call one of the best films of 1999.

Based on the novel by Tom Perrotta, "Election" takes place in Omaha, Nebraska, "Election" follows the lives of several people at George Washington Carver High Schoool. Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" fame) is a popular government teacher who is in charge of supervising student government elections. Tracey Flick (Witherspoon) is a goody-goody two shoes who has participated in almost every extracurricular activity there is.

When a fellow teacher is fired for having an affair with Tracey, Mr. McAllister somehow feels compelled to rain on Tracey's parade by finding someone to run against her in the school's election. When he approaches, Paul, an injured football player (Chris Klein of "American Pie") the trouble begins as the election gets very heated. While this is all happening, Mr. McAllister's personal home life is also taking a change as he begins an adulterous affair with his best friend's ex-wife. Who says the Midwestern America doesn't have scandals?

Co-Written and directed by Alexander Payne, "Election" ranks as one of the best black comedies in recent years. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, "Election" possesses wit and dark humor that makes it irresitible not to watch. Practically flawless in direction, "Election" is a great satire on the dirtiness involved in politics. There are no "chads" or "recounts" in this film, however it does possess the excitement of a real-life election.

The entire cast was great, especially Jessica Campbell, who play's Paul's anti-social lesbian sister Tammy, who seeks vengeance after a bad breakup with her girlfriend. Overall this film ranks as one of the best of 1999. I was only disappointed that the original theatrical trailer was not included on the DVD version. Regardless, this is a must see film, especially in the light of the last U.S. Presidential Election fiasco.

Rating:
Summary: Great movie
Review: This movie does an amazing job of incorporating the points of view of several different characters, allowing viewers to both laugh at and feel for their perspectives and situations. It's a journey through a high school election, a seemingly common event, but one that takes on special significance due to corruption, sexual improprieties, the pursuit and destruction of dreams, and the search for success and acceptance. A movie that is both serious and comedic, refreshing and thoughtful, engaging and fun. Witherspoon does an excellent job portraying the intensity of youthful overachiever and presidential candidate Tracy. A great movie for those who are looking for a fun movie with some depth.

Rating:
Summary: Immoral Garbage
Review: You're thinking, 'Matthew Broderick & Reese Witherspoon this ought to be a good movie.' WRONG. That's what I was thinking. The fact that MTV Films produced this movie should have been enough of a warning. Election is not funny, nor clever, nor interesting. All the major characters are immoral bad people doing immoral bad stuff. I am not a prude and if this movie was entertaining in anyway I could have set aside my judgement of the characters knowing that they are fictional. However, it is not entertaining, nor do any of the characters show remorse or grow in anyway. There is nothing redeming about this movie.
Please don't waste your time.

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant dark comedic skewering of high school life
Review: Don't be deceived by the MTV logo on the box. Election is no ordinary high school movie. It is so far removed from the typical "teen movie" that it's sure be viewed with hostility from fans of those dreadfully stereotypical movies. What Election is, however, is a sharp, hilarious, on-target satire of high school life from the point of view of both the students and the teachers. Probably more so from the teachers' point of view, as the film focuses on Jim McAllister, played to perfection by Matthew Broderick as a man so stuck in the routine his daily life that director Alexander Payne visually compares him to a caged rat. He is a popular teacher who really desires to help his students, but is overcome by his spite for over-achieving student Tracy Flick. Reese Witherspoon (possibly giving the best performance of her career) has created a truly memorable character with Tracy Flick. Everybody knows someone like her, and is either irritated by her or exactly the same as her. Witherspoon's luminous performance is the heart of the film.

The story is pretty simple and revolves around Mr. McAllister's contempt for Tracy which leads him to attempt to sabotage her chances of being class president. The real meat of the film, however, is the characterization. Director Payne gets us deep into the minds of the characters, and lets us know their innermost thoughts, desires and regrets. Typical teen and high school movies rarely have characters this deep and fleshed out. Election is essentially a character study in which we see three or four main characters deal with issues of morality and conduct. Jim McAllister is dissatisfied with his job and his marriage, Tracy Flick is dissatisfied with her obsessiveness and ambition. Paul Metzler (Chris Klein) is dissatisfied with being a dim-bulb football player, and Tammy Metzler (Jessica Campbell) is dissatisfied that the girl she loves ditched her for her brother.

It could be said that Election is about any number of things: The rigors of high school life, the consequences of one's actions, the corruption of politics, the impossibility of changing destiny, being envious and jealous towards others, the tedium of one's career, or just being miserable. Everyone will take something different away from it. That's one thing that's great about it. The themes are implicit and require interpretation on the part of the viewer. Personally, I think it's an indictment of obsessive ambition, represented equally by the Jim McAllister and Tracy Flick characters.

Alexander Payne is a brilliant director. No other film director that I know of can so effectively find profundity in the simplicity of every day occurrences. His films focus on small town life (usually Omaha, Nebraska since that's where he's from) and dissect the ins and outs of every day life. He manages to bring out profound questions that spring up from the inanity and frustrations of life. In addition to Election, he made another brilliant movie called About Schmidt starring Jack Nicholson. It's a film which again philosophically explores the tedium and rituals of ordinary life in Middle America.

Election is a sharp, biting character study that is immensely deeper than the average high school movie. It makes the viewer question the choices they've made and will make in the future. It features Oscar-worthy performances by Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, is expertly directed, has brilliant sharp dialog and a look and feel of authenticity that isn't usually found in high school movies. By looking at the lives of these flawed people, we can perhaps learn something about ourselves and our life decisions.

Rating:
Summary: Scary - Probably Where Our Politicians Came From
Review: At the time I first watched this movie I had little idea who Reese Witherspoon was. I have since seen numerous movies with Reese and have realized what a wonderful actress she can be. I have seen numerous movies with Matthew Broderick, on the other hand, and have been disappointed with numerous performances after an early career where he catapulted into the limelight with incredible performances in movies such as "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" and "Ladyhawke." However, Broderick redeems himself by a stellar performance as a high school teacher at George Washington Carver High School.

Tracy Enid Flick (Witherspoon) is an overachiever who lets nothing stand in the way of her goals. In this case, nothing is Jim McAllister (Broderick). McAllister lusts after Flick while simultaneously hating her. McAllister encourages a popular student, Paul Metzler (Chris Klein, who played Oz in "American Pie"), to run against Flick for President of the student body. Soon there is more back-stabbing, corruption and manipulation than in most movies about the subject. I found many of the scenes almost painful to watch while being simultaneously funny because you knew that every attempted maneuvering against Flick was going to fail, regardless of how much you wanted it to succeed.

This movie is interesting because the plot is so relatively simple, which allows the movie to focus on character development. We find out quickly that the entire movie is a one-sided chess game between McAllister and Flick. Unfortunately, it is a chess game where McAllister never gets to see Flick's moves until after she makes them. Much of the time you get the impression that Flick nearly ignores McAllister as though he is beneath her contempt. When she does endeavor to control events involving McAllister, she does it so effortlessly that you wonder why McAllister even tries. It gets to the point where the battle between McAllister and Flick (which Flick really never acknowledges in more than a cursory way as being to any extent a real challenge) brings to mind the line "He brought a knife to a gun fight."

A great deal of time is focused on McAllister's thoughts, and I squirmed often because I could see myself being a lot like McAllister in some ways, and wondered how I would act if put in his situation. The fact that McAllister was so normal, and Flick had an innate ability to be either sweet and innocent and just as quickly turn cold and manipulating made the contrast between the two even more uncomfortable. I was reminded of people I knew in high school and more recently a few people I have encountered in my work life. Of course, now I know to just throw in the towel and give up, because people like that play the manipulation game far better than I.

This movie is for people who like to think, but the danger is that thinking about this movie can give you a headache. I was able to watch it only once, because I kept empathizing with McAllister, and having Flick inflicted upon him was cruel and unusual punishment. I hope I never encounter another person like her in real life.


Rating:
Summary: Election
Review: Election~ Alexander Payne is an amazing movie starring Mathew Broderick whom is a disgruntled teacher in small town whom decides that the puplar girl played by Witherspoon is not going to win the highschool election. The plot is quite well developed and the charachters all seem realistic. The lesbian side plot seems tacked on (Tammy Metzler) and not neccesary for the plot other then to cash in a bit of money from impresionable young people. Broderick is totally amazing in his role and Witherspoon shows that she is more then just a pretty face. This a very good movie indeed.

Rating:
Summary: Alexander Payne's Best Film
Review: Considering i've seen only two AP films I don't think i'm completely qualified to give that oppinion but this is just a terrific and funny film. Can it be kind of annoying? Yes. But it is still very very well done and Reese Witherspoon (who actually is annoying in the film) is just great as straight A, stuck up
Tracy Flick. In an underrated performance is Matthew Broderick
as Jim McCallister, the teacher determined to screw up Tracy's plans of winning the election to become president of the student body.The movie begins with Mr.M explaining his hatred for Tracy.
The fact that Tracy is one of the smartest and most annoying students in the school, but that is not what really bother Mr.M.
It's the fact that Tracy slept with his best friend causing his
friend to lose his job and move back in with his parents. Tracy then explains that she feels sorry for McCallister. ETC.
McCallister decides to recruit Paul(Chris Klein,American Pie)
a dumb jock who broke his leg skiing. Paul's lesbian sister Tammy then decides to run when Paul(unknowingly) begins dating
Tammy's partner. Tammy in my oppinion is the most annoying character in the movie, as well as being one of the many ugly woman featured in the movie. Also in a subplot Mr.M begins an affair with his best friends ex-wife Linda. So, this is a pretty sexual movie and due to that it makes up a lot of funny stuff like a part where Dave (McCallisters best friend) says
"Her P***y gets so wet, you can't believe it". The end is just a piece of slapstick humor that is quite possibly the funniest part in the movie, but SEE THIS MOVIE. A-

Rating:
Summary: Witherspoon Wins
Review: In Election, Witherspoon shines as an uptight overachiever who is intent on winning the class election. Matthew Broderick as the teacher who holds a grudge against Witherspoon for getting his best friend fellow teacher in trouble, is well-cast. These are not glamorous characters, and they live in a bleak environment of black and white, but the story carries this well-directed, well-acted movie. Wonderful.

Rating:
Summary: "The weak are always trying to sabatoge the strong."
Review: I think everyone knew a Tracy Enid Flick in high school...she was the obsessive/compulsive prat that participated in every stinking activity, her face plastered all over the yearbook (whose production she was probably in charge of), eternally, often shamelessly, promoting herself for the next thing whatever it was, unceasingly sucking up to everyone and anyone in even the slightest position to assist her, all with the specific goal of cramming as much as possible on her transcripts, hoping to show whatever college board she applies to what a well rounded person she is...thing is, these people are so driven by what they perceive to be important they just don't comprehend how irritating they are to those around them, or if they do, they don't care, often believing such animosity is the result of jealously...but then that's just my opinion...I was one of those faceless, nameless bodies that drifted through high school, hoping to avoid attracting too much attention, wanting only to serve my time (much like prison inmates) and get out. Election (1999), written and directed by Alexander Payne (About Schmidt, Sideways), stars Matthew Broderick (The Freshman, The Road to Wellville) and cute as a dimple Reese Witherspoon (Pleasantville, American Psycho). Also appearing is Jessica Campbell (Freaks and Geeks) and Hinsdale, Illinois native Chris Klein in his first feature appearance (American Pie, Rollerball).

Broderick stars as James T. 'Jim' McAllister, a frumpy high school civics teacher and advisor to the student body government, seemingly content in his position, taking modest pride in assumption he's helping to mold young minds, preparing them for life after high school. Life is going pretty well for Mr. McAllister, that is until he tries to go against the unstoppable force know as Tracy Enid Flick, an annoying, overachieving student running unopposed for student body president, by coercing dimwitted, but somewhat likeable, side-lined football star Paul Metzler (Klein) to run against her. Mr. McAllister's veiled resentment of Tracy begins with an earlier event, one involving a tawdry liaison between Tracy and a fellow colleague, resulting in his colleague's dismissal and ultimately, divorce. Now he sees Tracy as a real threat, one that only he has the power to do anything about, but his intercession leads to entanglements. As the comical complications compound themselves (Paul's sister, played by Campbell, becomes involved in the election for reasons of her own), Mr. McAllister's life begins to spiral horribly out of control, resulting in the destruction of all he's worked for and holds dear, as destiny, as is Tracy, is something that can't be avoided.

For me, this story is basically about actions and consequences. We witness relatively minor actions, like Mr. McAllister's meddling in the school election, result in destructive and life changing consequences, mostly at the hands of Tracy, the driven, near psychotic student who won't let anything get in her way. Broderick is really wonderful, but it was odd seeing him play his character, as I best remember him from his role in the film Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986), and the two characters are nearly opposite. The rest of the cast does very well, especially Phil Reeves, playing Principal Walter Hendricks, presenting the epitome of school administrators in both his mannerisms and dialogue. Witherspoon is outstanding as Tracy, taking the role and infusing it with a real sense of absurdity, while maintaining a foot in reality, showing that her range as an actress is wider than most probably gave her credit for at the time. She provides us with insight as to what exactly drives these uber-motivated individuals, and how far they'll go to get what they rightfully believe is owed to them. I enjoyed the direction of this dark, sometimes disturbing comedy, but some may find it plodding and pointless. Payne's use of cinematic effects, freeze frames and voice-overs were handled in such a way as to enhance the story, and blended in smoothly, rather than providing awkward distractions as they sometimes can in other films. This is also evident in About Schmidt, especially the scenes where Jack Nicholson's character is composing letters to his sponsored African child, Ndugu. Election is a bit more unrestrained than Payne's About Schmidt (2002), more akin to his latest film Sideways (2004) with regards to the level of vulgarity, but in all three movies, the characters presented don't seem to be put forth to be necessarily liked by the audience, but more so as analogous representations of individuals you may very well know, or deal with on a day to day basis. Normally I enjoy films with characters whose positive aspects I can identify with, as I think a lot of people do, but here there's very little of that, as we see the glossy veneer peeled away revealing all kinds of sordid, morally reprehensible nastiness (the scenes where Broderick's character's various indiscretions are exposed were uncomfortable much like that of seeing a couple fight in public...you know you mind your own affairs, tend to your business, but I think there's an instinctual level where we as humans are inescapably drawn to conflict, maybe not desiring to be a part of it, but finding perverse enjoyment at the misfortunes of others. If you are uncomfortable with frank and explicit themes, specifically about sex, and dislike the casual use of vulgarity, then you should probably avoid this intelligent, well written, mildly abrasive, dark comedy.

The wide screen anamorphic picture presented on this DVD looks clear and clean, and the audio, available in Dolby Digital 5.1 and Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround, comes through very well. Special features are scant, as there's only a so-so commentary track by director Alexander Payne available. I thought it kind of odd not to include a theatrical trailer for the film, but then special features with regards to DVD releases has never been Paramount Studios strong point.

Cookieman108