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Amazon.co.uk Review
A heart-warming story of mistaken identity and idealism, director Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) takes on the political establishment in this fresh, funny comedy. Kevin Kline (Sophie's Choice, A Fish Called Wanda) plays Dave Kovic, a sweet man with a big heart running an employment agency. Dave happens to be a dead ringer for the current president of the United States and he hires himself out as an impersonator for parties and mall openings. When the real president has a stroke while in bed with an aide, his ambitious chief of staff (Frank Langella) decides to hold onto the White House by appealing to Dave's sense of patriotism and having him pose as the president. Soon, however, Dave is running the country in a way contrary to what the chief of staff would like, even as he finds himself falling in love with the unsuspecting first lady (Sigourney Weaver). The movie's unbridled optimism is its best asset and it makes this a pleasant comedy worth seeing. --Robert Lane
Special Features
1.33 Full Screen
1.85 Wide Screen
French\Italian
English\Italian
English
Region 2
Dolby Surround English
Dolby Surround
Interactive Menu
Production Notes
Scene Access
Arabic\Dutch\English\French\Italian\Portuguese\Spanish
1.85 Wide Screen
French\Italian
English\Italian
English
Region 2
Dolby Surround English
Dolby Surround
Interactive Menu
Production Notes
Scene Access
Arabic\Dutch\English\French\Italian\Portuguese\Spanish
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
Sweet natured, warm hearted, funny, a little sentimental, and with a surprising, sharp political edge best sums up this story about a man who gets to play president, takes on the bad guys and gets the girl in a happy ending.
President William Mitchell is a political sleaze who two-times his wife, Ellen (Sigourney Weaver), betrays his few principles and doesn't care much about anything. He frequently employs look alikes so he can have unnoticed time for his bimbos. But this time, after a major speech, while he's in the midst of love making, he has a major stroke in the arms of his latest girl friend. His double this time is a guy who runs a temp agency, who tries to help the people he comes into contact with and who has a sunny, open disposition. He's the kind of guy who sings "Oklahoma!" while riding his bike. He's named Dave Kovic and he's played by Kevin Kline in a first-rate performance of great charm and likeability. But the chief of staff, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), an arrogant and condescending politico, plots to keep Dave in place by putting out the story that the president suffered only a "minor circulatory problem of the head." While the innocent lamb Dave covers as the president, Alexander will smear the vice president and force him to resign, then have himself named vice president...at which time Dave will go back to his old life and William Mitchell will be discovered to have had a second and incapacitating stroke. Bob Alexander will then become president.
All goes according to plan until Dave begins to ask questions about helping the poor. He begins to connect with people. He and his best friend, Murray Blum (Charles Grodin) plot to find ways to locate $650 million in the budget to save a shelters program. All this drives Alexander into a frustrated rage. And during all this Dave and Ellen begin to make some connections of their own. She and her real husband had long since stopped having any feelings for each other. The conclusion of the movie is clever, satisfying, requires the complicity of Duane Stevenson (Ving Rhames), the president's secret service body guard, and split second timing.
Some of the reasons this movie works so well, in my opinion, is that all the actors do fine jobs, not just Kline and Weaver. Langella is great (and amusing) as a king maker who wants to be king himself this time. Laura Linney carries off a small but important role with great humor and skill. Charles Grodin as Murray hits just the right note of funny, reluctant suspicion. Scattered throughout the movie are pointed interviews with media and political figures, commenting with dead pan seriousness on the activities of the president.
The music gets a bit sappy at times, but that's not a major drawback. All in all, Dave is something of a throwback to the Frank Capra movies, but with a bit of a sting. I've watched it more than once and enjoy it. The DVD picture looks just fine.
President William Mitchell is a political sleaze who two-times his wife, Ellen (Sigourney Weaver), betrays his few principles and doesn't care much about anything. He frequently employs look alikes so he can have unnoticed time for his bimbos. But this time, after a major speech, while he's in the midst of love making, he has a major stroke in the arms of his latest girl friend. His double this time is a guy who runs a temp agency, who tries to help the people he comes into contact with and who has a sunny, open disposition. He's the kind of guy who sings "Oklahoma!" while riding his bike. He's named Dave Kovic and he's played by Kevin Kline in a first-rate performance of great charm and likeability. But the chief of staff, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), an arrogant and condescending politico, plots to keep Dave in place by putting out the story that the president suffered only a "minor circulatory problem of the head." While the innocent lamb Dave covers as the president, Alexander will smear the vice president and force him to resign, then have himself named vice president...at which time Dave will go back to his old life and William Mitchell will be discovered to have had a second and incapacitating stroke. Bob Alexander will then become president.
All goes according to plan until Dave begins to ask questions about helping the poor. He begins to connect with people. He and his best friend, Murray Blum (Charles Grodin) plot to find ways to locate $650 million in the budget to save a shelters program. All this drives Alexander into a frustrated rage. And during all this Dave and Ellen begin to make some connections of their own. She and her real husband had long since stopped having any feelings for each other. The conclusion of the movie is clever, satisfying, requires the complicity of Duane Stevenson (Ving Rhames), the president's secret service body guard, and split second timing.
Some of the reasons this movie works so well, in my opinion, is that all the actors do fine jobs, not just Kline and Weaver. Langella is great (and amusing) as a king maker who wants to be king himself this time. Laura Linney carries off a small but important role with great humor and skill. Charles Grodin as Murray hits just the right note of funny, reluctant suspicion. Scattered throughout the movie are pointed interviews with media and political figures, commenting with dead pan seriousness on the activities of the president.
The music gets a bit sappy at times, but that's not a major drawback. All in all, Dave is something of a throwback to the Frank Capra movies, but with a bit of a sting. I've watched it more than once and enjoy it. The DVD picture looks just fine.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A touching, warm, friendly film, perfect for cuddling up on the sofa with a tub of icecream on a dark winter's night...
One of the best endorsements of the film is the fact that a steady stream of real politicians and journalists (including their Speaker, Jay Leno and the US equivalents of David Dimbleby and Jeremy Paxman) agreed to appear.
It even has Schwarzenegger campaigning - kind of ironic, ten years later...
The DVD has an added bonus that I've not come across elsewhere yet - it's double sided, with the widescreen version on one side and regular view on the other. This is perfect if you haven't got a widescreen telly yet.
Buy it - you won't be sorry...
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
This is one of Kevin Klines funniest roles playing the ordinary Joe Dave Kovic who has the appearance that resembles the president. When the president suffers from a severe stroke the government wants Dave to fill in for the president while he is out. When Dave takes on the role of the president and and has to take on the life that the president left behind for him like the first lady played by Sigourney Weaver who hated him. Dave needs to take on his relationship with the first lady, his advisor's played by Frank Langella and Kevin Dunn (the only people who know who Dave really is) ,and the country. Memorable Kline film in a brilliant double role.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Romantic, funny and actors supreme
A really romantic and comical film, have seen this quite a few times and still never tire of it, hence I bought it of Amazon in the end because I think its great and so will you
Published 2 months ago by Bea
Heartwarming, wholesome, believable
If you like lots of sex, violence and swearing, this isn't for you. If you want a film that tells a good story, with good actors performing well, without mush, then give it a try. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Roger Taylor
Kline and Weaver knit together in this enjoyable film
C. O. DeRiemer from (San Antonio, Texas, USA) has written a good review of this surprising film and I agree. Read more
Published 6 months ago by RR Waller
Great Movie
Although the plot is unthinkable, a president replaced by a stand-in, it's made entirely believable by the intelligent script, funny lines and the joy the actors put in the movie.
Published 12 months ago by Gertrudie
The best president the USA never had
I have only just discovered this gem (shame on me!) and I love it! Yes, you could drive a presidential motorcade through the plot, and make a tv documentary on the "goofs" - but... Read more
Published 15 months ago by English Rose
Dave x 2
Great movie!
Ment to order 1 copy, but somehow ended up ordering 2 copies. Due to lack of clear communication and user interface in the Amazon e-trade application.
Ment to order 1 copy, but somehow ended up ordering 2 copies. Due to lack of clear communication and user interface in the Amazon e-trade application.
Published 17 months ago by Kirsten Kikki
Favorite Film
This is one of my favorite films of all time. A simple story but with some poignant moments - in the hospital and doing the accounts then swinging into gentle comedy. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Steve
Dave
This is a great family film. I have watched it over and over and never get tired of it. If you like happy endings, then this is the film for you.
Published on 2 Sep 2009 by Xtal
Hilarious Comedy
Its ironic that this movie has a more believable plot than "The American President" but there you go. Kline is on top form and you'll be rooting for him in no time. Read more
Published on 20 May 2009 by Jim-Jim
dave brill film one to buy
i found Dave a very moving and funny story and when i say moving to see how one man can make a change in politics and he isnt even the pres great film i loved it.
Published on 1 April 2009 by tobs
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