Swing vote (2008) (import)

Swing Vote is a hugely enjoyable film. We know that the votes of one US state can decide the outcome of a presidential election but this film takes this idea to the extreme and shows what could happen if the vote of one citizen became the crucial factor.

Bud (Kevin Costner) is, let's face it, a blue-collar single parent loser. He drinks too much, doesn't work too hard and continually lets down his young daughter. But she is bright and perceptive and is very concerned with civic responsibility - and makes it plain that she wishes her father was too.

When it is made public that the result of the presidential election now rests with just one person there is an immediate media frenzy and Bud's identity becomes known. There follows a cynical courtship of him by both candidates desperate to be the winner.

In the early part of the film I thought that it was going to be a film about politics with no real politics in it. I was wrong. When Bud mentions that he is fairly relaxed about people's private lives the Republican latches on to this and suddenly promotes gay marriage. When he says that he is not very happy about Mexican workers being brought in to his factory to work at lower rates the Democrat candidate reverses his earlier stance and decides to stand firm on immigration. But daughter Molly watches everything and is determined that her father should make the right choice in the end.

It is all great fun - but with some serious points being made. The cast is strong - especially Kostner - and Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper are both excellent. The opening sequence shows beautiful scenes of small town America.

A pity that the DVD was a bit basic - no extras and no subtitles.

I really enjoyed this film. It's about the relationship a father has with his daughter. Yes, it is set against the backdrop of the american presidential elections, but the real story is how "Bud" (played by Kevin Costner) turns his life around and rediscovers the important things in life - those people close to you. Great performances from Madeline Carroll, Kevin Costner, Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer and Paula Patton. There's some great comedy in here that will make you genuinely laugh as well as a great story. This is a perfect Sunday night in movie that everyone will love!!

Swing Vote is an American political comedy. Set in a small town in New Mexico, the story follows Bud, an out of work single father, who has little interest in anything except beer and sports. Although it's obvious he loves his daughter, Molly greatly, the two are very different characters, she being much more concerned with the bigger picture - politics being part of that. Kevin Costner plays the part of trailer-trash Bud convincingly. Molly attempts to use her father's vote, but the electronic machine fails, and records an error. A far fetched chain of events is triggered that brings the presidential election waiting for New Mexico's five electoral votes to decide the winner. New Mexico law dictates that anyone's vote that failed to be counted must be re-cast, Bud is traced and it falls on him to decide how the state will vote, and therefore, who will be the next President of the United States.
The two main politicians in the movie, Kelsey Grammer playing the incumbent Republican President, and Dennis Hopper, the Democrat candidate, provide most of the comedy in the movie, as the two throw their principles and dignity aside as they fight it out, trying to win Bud's approval, and vote.
Grammer plays the role of a Republican President perfectly, his is probably the best performance in this film. Hopper was disappointing, giving a rather cold and lackluster performance. The film is amusing, but crosses in to just plain silly on occasion. It feels like a 'family film' although there is occasional bad language. The soundtrack fits the film well, with The Marshall Tucker Band's "Can't You See" featuring, and a performance from Kevin Costner and Modern West (on stage as Bud's own band), performing their excellent "Backyard" in one scene.
Overall, whilst this movie isn't particularly clever, and is likely to be forgotten, it's not without it's charm, and the film does try to be sincere about the American political system in places, especially at the movie's excellent climax. An enjoyable watch, but no classic.