Cast this Vote out to Sea.

This sugary bipartisan romp goes nowhere fast.
By
Morgan P Salvo


This movie is chock-full of cute mixed messages. The parable conveyed isn’t about political issues or even homespun wisdom. It harkens back to the age old Hollywood fantasy: if you do the right thing, follow your heart, fulfill your dreams, everything will be fine and the world a better place. Swing Vote is a schmaltzy fairy tale that dives deep into unbelievable land. It makes Sleeping Beauty look like Frankenhooker.
Due to a malfunctioning voting booth Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner), a lazy drunk oblivious to the political system, must re-cast his uncounted vote deciding the next president of the United States. News travels fast making Bud and his daughter Molly’s (newcomer Madeline Carroll) white-trash life a whirlwind of attention thanks to the imposing media blitz circus.
This is far-fetched stuff but the “one-vote-makes-a-difference” concept is spun by real newscasters, believably referring to it as “a fluke, history in the making, unprecedented” etc. Cameos vary including Chris Matthews, Bill Maher, Arianna Huffington and Tucker Carlson to name a few. I guess everyone jumped on the band wagon for this pathetic little touching Hallmark card of a movie to boost the American vote. But I still can’t buy it—an election would never come down to one person, and if it somehow did, that person's identity would not be revealed, let alone with this kind of coverage.
I felt I was watching a TV commercial the entire time, fighting the urge leave the room and grab a snack. So instead I tried hard to gauge the political affiliations of some of the stars. Costner effectively camouflages his true political leanings by taking a backseat to the action, but my impression is that he tilts a little more left than I previously expected. Dennis Hopper goes beyond acting as Democratic candidate Donald Greenleaf, because in real life the once wacked-out-Easy Rider-nut-job-Hollywood-rebel is now a staunch Republican and Bush supporter. No telling where Kelsey Grammar (President Andrew Boone) stands because he’s just his usually smarmy self. Nathan Lane (Art Crumb) and Stanley Tucci (Martin Fox) playing opposing political strategists are both one dimensional: Lane hams it up, almost winking to the camera, and Tucci does his holier-than-thou-smarty-pants shtick that’s wearing thin. As Molly, Bud’s over educated daughter, Carroll remains solid throughout, holding it all together. I’m sure she’ll receive all kinds of accolades for her performance but I saw only a characterization instead of acting. The co-writer and first-time director (Joshua Michael Stern) tries to cover too much ground in short spurts, and wastes WAY too much time on Costner being a dumb-ass.
I was hoping to see a multitude of correlations to today’s election coverage. Instead this flick is way too generic, more of an inert spoof of stereotypical Republicans and Democrats. Any parallels between McCain and Obama types are lost in the fray. There are no vicious smears against opponents, just the attempt to sway Bud to their side. After misreading his quotes, both parties try to win him over by flip-flopping, Republicans going for gay marriage, and the environment, Democrats abandoning abortion rights and berating illegal immigrants. The focus is on finagling and deceit rather than corruption, and we are supposed to believe that no politician would ever stoop so low as to fool the American public when confronted with real truth. Conveying that politicians play ludicrous games and lying to win is only as far as they go. The sentiment being that there are no villains: if they obtain a conscience they instantly become heroic.
We are also given an insultingly heartfelt monologue where Costner does his “Mr. Smith goes to Washington” speech about what a loser he is but everyone is basically good, resulting in one of the biggest copout endings imaginable.
See The Candidate with Robert Redford or Tim Robbins’ Bob Roberts for movies that show more political satire and insight. Do not waste your time on this film unless you want to see the touching story of a grown man acting like a child growing up. Swing Vote is to politics what Thank You for Smoking was to the evils of cancer—dismally absent. Clearly the underlying message in this movie is to vote, without taking sides, but with your heart not your mind. That’s a tough call. And as with this movie’s annoying premise it begs you to believe that it all matters. This film could’ve mattered. Turns out it’s a dud, flickered out by a big-headed canvas and small-minded brush.

Swing Vote
Starring Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammar, Dennis Hooper, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, Paula Patton Director: Joshua Michael Stern
 1 star