stevechristian

Expert Rating:

6

Kevin Costner

Madeline Carroll

Kelsey Grammer

Dennis Hopper

Nathan Lane

Directed by Joshua Michael Stern

As you may know the events of this film are that an ordinary guy has the single last vote in a Presidential election, when all other votes are cast and it is a vurtual tie. His is the "swing vote". Through a quirk in the voting system, it is decided that his is the last- and deciding vote- for President of the free world.

So it is that we meet one Bud Johnson (Costner). He is such a simpleton, such a non-political nincompoop, that it is both sad- and perhaps appropiate- that he alone will decide the entire Presidential election.

Bud Johnson simply struggles with life itself, and dealing with fatherhood for his daughter. She (Carroll) is the one pillar that he can depend on. He may not be the best of Fathers (far from it). But she is a great kid. She understands her dad, and wants only the best for him. And for him to at least VOTE in the November election for President. Its all just too important not to participate.

Yet somehow he misses that opportunity. She then covers it up in a brilliant piece of film-making. This sets up the ultimate showdown. Costner's character must now vote- in 10 days time, to decide who will be President of the United States. After the events of 2000 in Tallahassee, it is not too implausible to imagine that the world might end up just this way.

As we might guess the candidates cave in to his wants and needs- for a while. But to the films's credit, they show how even these highly-ambitious candidates find it difficult to sacrifice all that they have fought for. This is a film about how we all sell out for simple reasons- and how we should look to larger issues when choosing our President.

It is a credit to Costner that he plays such a simple man, who has few needs- other than how much his latest beer will cost. It is Costers best role in a dozen years.

Indeed when you see him finally take his large bribe-induced drink, only to to turn it over into the sand- that we know just how much he has grown. It is a sweet revelation when he awakens from his beer-induced slumber to recognize what world he is living in, and only then to deliver his final speech. It is a well-crafted mia-culpa. Costner's "Bud" suddenly realizes what impact his decision will have on the many masses of nameless individuals who would speak out- if only they could.

It is not perfect. But it is very, very good.