Swing Vote (2008)

Charming and brutal

The film was still a fun one that will make you laugh and have you leaving the theater feeling like you just stole something valuable and got away with it.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

As a political scientist, I thought this movie was going to be a silly waste of time. The idea that on Election Day, one man's vote would be solely responsible for choosing the President-Elect of the United States, was preposterous to me. Add in the characteristics of an obvious Republican voter, and there would be absolutely no mystery as to who he would choose, I thought. Well, as a political scientist, I loved this movie.Kevin Costner stars as the swing voter, and contrary to what the preview will show you, he's not an obvious Republican. He's an apathetic American who knows nothing of the issues and wasn't even registered to vote until his daughter went online for him. In other words, he's like the majority of the population on Election Day. Most people don't vote, and most people think their vote doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. Jason Richman and Joshua Michael Stern wrote a remarkable script, one that constantly walked a tightrope and didn't take sides. There is no "bad party" or "right choice". Everyone has their ups and downs, and the audience is constantly on the edge of their seats as to who Costner will eventually choose.Everyone in the film gave a wonderful performance. Madeline Carroll played Costner's daughter, and for a first leading role, she was remarkable. It made you wonder why she wasn't cast in Little Miss Sunshine. I've seen a lot of Kevin Costner movies, but I've never seen him in a role like this. He played a complete idiot, and he did it beautifully. It wasn't over-the-top, and it wasn't one-dimensional. He was so perfectly an idiot, it's as if he could never play anything else. Kelsey Grammar and Dennis Hopper played the two candidates, and Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane played their campaign managers. All four were wonderful. No one was over-the-top. Director Joshua Michael Stern must have given his actors great and gentle leadership, since every part of the movie was so good.From a political standpoint, I loved how believable the script was. I won't get into the details, but the circumstances of the miraculous "swing vote" are very plausible. The political ads, campaign tactics, and media attention was detailed and humorous, but totally true to life. The film was hilarious and touching, and I highly recommend it to every American, regardless of political stance. I've only just watched it for the first time, in 2017, but I plan to buy a copy and watch it over and over in the years to come.

Even for a movie Swing Vote has a absurd premise. The idea that our democratic voting system can be founded on one man voting is incredibly ludicrous even for the plot line of a movie. Thankfully the movie decides to try and be more then just Kevin Costner (ugh) farting around talking with politicians. The movie instead focuses on his relationship with his daughter. It tries to show the common man's focus on politics. Despite this idea though the movie still doesn't work. The family moments come across as being too cheesy and the movie isn't able to get across it's bizarre premise. Although the movie was better then I expected it to be (which isn't saying much) it's not worth watching. It's a mediocre Costner movie but if you are a fan of his then you've seen worse by him (like The Postman)

Swing Vote is an inspiring drama with some humor thanks due to the great performances by Kevin Costner and most of the cast some aren't given much to do but they make the best of their limited screen time. Director Joshua Michael Stern has done an admirable job of making this movie thats a story about an ordinary guy whose one vote will decide the next President Of The United States. Costner turns in a very believable performance as Bud Johnson a lazy beer slinging father whose one bright light in his mundane existence is his daughter Molly. Madeline Carroll who plays Molly is just as impressive she more than holds her own against Costner on the screen. They both have good chemistry together which made their father and daughter relationship believable. Costner and Carroll also brought much comic relief to the film as his character who starts off a nobody becomes an overnight celebrity because somehow his one vote will decide the next president. The supporting cast are admirable in their roles too including Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammar, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, and Stanley Tucci. Some of them don't have much to do and aren't given a lot screen time because most of the focus is on Costner and his daughter but they still are effective supporting characters. George Lopez and Judge Reinhold even show up for brief appearances who are humorous in their roles but they like some other characters lack screen time. All of them however do bring some comic relief to the movie (like Costner and Carroll) because of things some of them are willing to do to get that one vote from Costner's character. The pacing of the movie was a little slow but once things started to get going it moved at a steady pace from there. Despite some flaws with character development and the pacing Swing Vote was still much better than expected. I thought I wasn't going to like this movie and I ended up enjoying it. Swing Vote may not be a masterpiece or class but it's still an above average comedy drama with terrific performances by most of the cast who make it an enjoyable film to watch.

Ernest "Bud" Johnson, a man of the people, a Good Third Party Independent completely uninformed as to what is going on outside of his own little world of the little town of Texico New Mexico, with a socially conscious daughter Molly , caught up in the Political scene by his innocent daughter, registering him to vote on election day. A strange series of coincidences leaves the classic swing state of New Mexico EVENLY Spilt 50 50 in the popular vote with Bud Johnsons vote the deciding vote , the next ten days to two weeks are the classic roller coaster political ride that neither he nor his daughter had expected. as every debate needs a moderator , KennedY Nixon 1960 to the present, so none is better to moderate than a good man of the people who realizes his faults in life and bellies up to the podium to moderate.