A dark comedy which is neither dark nor funny has little to recommend itself by. Unfortunately, this is the case with Alexander Payne’s 1999 adaptation of Tom Perrotta’s novel. To start with, the stakes are too low. Neither Flick’s ruthlessness nor McAllister’s vindictive countermeasures rise above the level of pranks, really. Plenty of films from the past decade (Donnie Darko, Brick, Assassination of a High School President, etc.) show that it’s possible to do something meaningful in a high school setting. Election ends up seeming petty in comparison.
In addition, the film is peppered with voiceover narration from several characters. This works well in spots – Paul’s failure to recognize that his girlfriend is using him, for instance – but it’s both overdone and largely ineffective. The potential for biting commentary and or/radical disconnect is squandered on too many “This is my life” moments.
Because of the comedic premise, the characters are deliberately drawn to type. Only McAllister seems really complex or conflicted, but he is rendered just as unsympathetically as the dumb jock and the conniving politician. That said, Election is well-cast and there is some quality acting here. The often-annoying Witherspoon shines as the relentlessly driven Tracy. Broderick, Klein and Campbell are convincing in their roles, limiting as they may be. Nobody is slacking here.
Election was undoubtedly intended as a commentary on the polarizing nature of American politics. A more trenchant commentary, however, can be found in the fact that 11 years after it’s release, it’s hard to find this movie clever or shocking.
6/10
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