SWING VOTE
Release Date: 8/1/08
The Story: In the closest election in history, Bud Johnson’s (Kevin Costner) vote didn’t count. He alone will determine the results of the election. The problem is that he barely even knows who’s running (Kelsey Grammar and Dennis Hopper).
Kevin Costner may be an ass in real life, but he’s one of those engaging movie stars that I find charming. If you can’t stand Kevin Costner, you won’t like Swing Vote. He kind of phones it in here, playing a down-on-his-luck alcoholic redneck.
Madeline Carroll (Bud’s 10 year-old daughter) is the highlight of the movie. While she’s as engaging as Abigail Breslin, she probably won’t be nominated for an Oscar®. As the parent in this father/daughter relationship, she keeps you interested and makes you want to kick Bud in the face for neglecting to take care of this really bright kid.
I’m sure the producer’s sell line for this movie was: EdTV meets Wag the Dog, down to the stars and their cameos (Mare Winningham’s short bit as Bud’s ex-wife is heartbreaking, but somehow out of step with the rest of the movie). While it’s better than EdTV, I still think that Wag the Dog is a more prescient and forward-looking film than SV.
Paula Patton plays the local reporter who breaks the story, and she does a great job with kind of a boring role. Gorgeous woman.
Probably the highlights of this film are the lengths to which the candidates go to curry Bud’s favor. There are a couple of these, but I laughed in horror, and then in general amusement at the playground commercial. Ooh, looky what we have here… it’s on YouTube.
What It’s Worth: $9.00, essentially a full price ticket. I was entertained throughout, and I think its sense of humor is enough to make people laugh from both sides of the political spectrum, as well as people who have no interest in politics at all. I’m not going to give it a ticket plus popcorn, just because it is a little fluffy despite its content.
Release Date: 8/1/08
The Story: In the closest election in history, Bud Johnson’s (Kevin Costner) vote didn’t count. He alone will determine the results of the election. The problem is that he barely even knows who’s running (Kelsey Grammar and Dennis Hopper).
Kevin Costner may be an ass in real life, but he’s one of those engaging movie stars that I find charming. If you can’t stand Kevin Costner, you won’t like Swing Vote. He kind of phones it in here, playing a down-on-his-luck alcoholic redneck.
Madeline Carroll (Bud’s 10 year-old daughter) is the highlight of the movie. While she’s as engaging as Abigail Breslin, she probably won’t be nominated for an Oscar®. As the parent in this father/daughter relationship, she keeps you interested and makes you want to kick Bud in the face for neglecting to take care of this really bright kid.
I’m sure the producer’s sell line for this movie was: EdTV meets Wag the Dog, down to the stars and their cameos (Mare Winningham’s short bit as Bud’s ex-wife is heartbreaking, but somehow out of step with the rest of the movie). While it’s better than EdTV, I still think that Wag the Dog is a more prescient and forward-looking film than SV.
Paula Patton plays the local reporter who breaks the story, and she does a great job with kind of a boring role. Gorgeous woman.
Probably the highlights of this film are the lengths to which the candidates go to curry Bud’s favor. There are a couple of these, but I laughed in horror, and then in general amusement at the playground commercial. Ooh, looky what we have here… it’s on YouTube.
What It’s Worth: $9.00, essentially a full price ticket. I was entertained throughout, and I think its sense of humor is enough to make people laugh from both sides of the political spectrum, as well as people who have no interest in politics at all. I’m not going to give it a ticket plus popcorn, just because it is a little fluffy despite its content.
Is Kevin C. a Republican? Because that fake commercial is exactly how they act, but yet it's being credited as Democrats..
ReplyDeleteI find this offensive.. they could at least get it right. Especially right before an important election.. seems to me like Kevin may be a McCain fanboy and I don't think I will be seeing this movie if that's how it's gonna be.
I thought it looked like a cute, fun, light-hearted movie and since I can never get enough fluff in my life, I just might see it.
ReplyDeleteHate much, Leslie?
ReplyDeleteLeslie, the Republican candidate waffles on environmental issues and one more. It's just that I like Dennis Hopper more.
ReplyDeleteIt's satire, and so it's supposed to be offensive.
This is the first KC movie that I have wanted to see in a long time. Thanks for the review dnfrommn.
ReplyDeleteGreat review as always- I now am officially no longer embarrassed for wanting to see this.
ReplyDeleteWow, she is gorgeous.
ReplyDeleteI won't pay to see any kind of formulaic fodder in the theater unless it involves Jason Statham or Daniel Craig, but I'll definitely netflix this one next year when I have a ravin' for the hunka, hunka burning love known as Kevin Costner--asshat in real life or not--he's a HOTTTT oldie!!!!
ReplyDeletemake that "cravin'"...
ReplyDelete...aaaaannnddd, me again--
ReplyDeleteOh man, dnfrommn! I just played the "commercial" and that is some funny stuff. Choice, I tell you, CHOICE.
Down the slide--Boom! Poof! Gone! Very funny. Maybe I will use my Fandango bucks for this flick after all.
I now have to air dry the keyboard... I laughed so hard I knocked over my tea... Thanks for finding that :) I will have to send that one to my sister.
ReplyDeleteAnd selenakyle... ravin' works, too. I agree, Kostner does have something.