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performances by John Travolta as a
Clintonesque Southern pol, Emma Thompson as
his wife and Kathy Bates as a blunt instrument
of an adviser,
ELECTTON 0999)
Eady polfitrg: Reese Witherspoon REALLY
wants to be class president and teacher
Matthew Broderick learns too late exactly how
determined she is to win.
Eection resdts A sweeping victory. Director
Alexander Payne's satire is pitch-perfect and
this is the movie that made everyone realizeWitherspoon was a star - "Legally Blonde"
just proved it.
MAN OFTHEYEAR(2006)
Eady potrng: Robin Williams is aTV political
satirist, a la Jon Stewart/Bill Maher, who
jokingly decides to run for President - until
people take him seriously.
Eeclion rcsults: Williams gets a win, thanks
to some election booth snafus. But the movie
falters on substance. Hopefully, when Jay Leno
is deciding his post-NBC career, he won't be
screening this film.
BOB ROBERTS 0992)
Eady polling: n scathing satire of politics
with Tim Robbins as a folk-singing, right-wing
politician who might as well have "This guitar
kills liberals" stamped on his instrumenl People
love him even as they seem to ignore the clear
message of his tunes.Eecliot rcsdts: Timidity loses the day.
Robbins simply can't imagine someone like
Ronald Reagan actually believes what he's
saying, so he tums Bob Roberts into a cynical,
lying bad guy rather than a True Believer. True
Believers are scarier.
HEAD OF STATE (2OO3)
Early polling: Chris Rock as an accidental
presidential candidate ready to unleash his
laser-smart insight on the issues of the day?
Where do we volunteer?
Eleclion rcsults: Instead of taking no
prisoners, Rock's candidate seems to take no
chances. And he's upstaged by VP nominee
Bernie Mac. Oh, well. A black man running for
President was probably a fantasi anyway.
Michael GilELikely candidates
our vote really does count! Maybe not in
the direct manner of Kevin CostnePs new
comedy "Swing Vote," the Capra-esque
film opening Friday where a presidential
election literally comes down to one person's
ballot (Costner's, of course).
But it does count at the box office, where
political comedies are always campaigning
to get your support - and your $12 for a
movie ticket, $8.50 for popcorn and soda and
$20 for parking. Here are six election flicks
and how they fare in the electoral college of
comeqy.
BULWORTH (1998)
Eady polling: Warren Beatty is a suicidal
U.S. senator who pays an assassin to off him,
but before the deed is done feels free to speak
the truth - usually in the form of a hilarious,
wickedly un-PC rap. Halle Berry shows up to
give him a reason to live.
Eecfion rcfldts: A major victory. Beatty
gives one of his most delicious comedy
performances and the movie is bitingly funny
until the poll-driven happy ending.
PRTMARY COLORS 0998)
Eady polfing: The once thinly veiled novel
about Bill Clinton's run for President getting
sidetracked by a bevy of mistresses becomes
an even less thinly veiled movie about same.
Election results: Ekes out a win with soot-on
=oz
oz=o
performances by John Travolta as a
Clintonesque Southern pol, Emma Thompson as
his wife and Kathy Bates as a blunt instrument
of an adviser,
ELECTTON 0999)
Eady polfitrg: Reese Witherspoon REALLY
wants to be class president and teacher
Matthew Broderick learns too late exactly how
determined she is to win.
Eection resdts A sweeping victory. Director
Alexander Payne's satire is pitch-perfect and
this is the movie that made everyone realizeWitherspoon was a star - "Legally Blonde"
just proved it.
MAN OFTHEYEAR(2006)
Eady potrng: Robin Williams is aTV political
satirist, a la Jon Stewart/Bill Maher, who
jokingly decides to run for President - until
people take him seriously.
Eeclion rcsults: Williams gets a win, thanks
to some election booth snafus. But the movie
falters on substance. Hopefully, when Jay Leno
is deciding his post-NBC career, he won't be
screening this film.
BOB ROBERTS 0992)
Eady polling: n scathing satire of politics
with Tim Robbins as a folk-singing, right-wing
politician who might as well have "This guitar
kills liberals" stamped on his instrumenl People
love him even as they seem to ignore the clear
message of his tunes.Eecliot rcsdts: Timidity loses the day.
Robbins simply can't imagine someone like
Ronald Reagan actually believes what he's
saying, so he tums Bob Roberts into a cynical,
lying bad guy rather than a True Believer. True
Believers are scarier.
HEAD OF STATE (2OO3)
Early polling: Chris Rock as an accidental
presidential candidate ready to unleash his
laser-smart insight on the issues of the day?
Where do we volunteer?
Eleclion rcsults: Instead of taking no
prisoners, Rock's candidate seems to take no
chances. And he's upstaged by VP nominee
Bernie Mac. Oh, well. A black man running for
President was probably a fantasi anyway.
Michael GilELikely candidates
our vote really does count! Maybe not in
the direct manner of Kevin CostnePs new
comedy "Swing Vote," the Capra-esque
film opening Friday where a presidential
election literally comes down to one person's
ballot (Costner's, of course).
But it does count at the box office, where
political comedies are always campaigning
to get your support - and your $12 for a
movie ticket, $8.50 for popcorn and soda and
$20 for parking. Here are six election flicks
and how they fare in the electoral college of
comeqy.
BULWORTH (1998)
Eady polling: Warren Beatty is a suicidal
U.S. senator who pays an assassin to off him,
but before the deed is done feels free to speak
the truth - usually in the form of a hilarious,
wickedly un-PC rap. Halle Berry shows up to
give him a reason to live.
Eecfion rcfldts: A major victory. Beatty
gives one of his most delicious comedy
performances and the movie is bitingly funny
until the poll-driven happy ending.
PRTMARY COLORS 0998)
Eady polfing: The once thinly veiled novel
about Bill Clinton's run for President getting
sidetracked by a bevy of mistresses becomes
an even less thinly veiled movie about same.
Election results: Ekes out a win with soot-on