I first decided to see Election when I read a positive blurb about it in Entertainment Weekly. From the description it sounded like a film that I would enjoy--a suburban satire of American society. I was richly rewarded, and consider Election the best film of 1999.
I realize that Election will provoke controversy because the film is quirky, pokes fun at some sacred cows, and has imperfect characters. But I did not see a better or more tightly constructed film all year. The characters themselves may flawed -- from Witherspoon's aggressive and obsessive Tracy Flick to Broderick's history teacher engulfed in moral and ethical dilemmas -- but the film is nearly flawless.
The rest of the ensemble actors are excellent as well, though some border on playing stereotypes, but this is all part of the satire. After teaching high school for over 20 years, I felt like I actually knew the principal and his vice-principal, as the actors here nail the stereotype perfectly. Somebody associated with the film either taught in high school or the production hired an excellent consultant.
Scenes are juxtaposed cleverly, as in the hilarious sequence that shows each of the presidential candidates praying the night before the school election -- a scene that reveals much about each character. Transitions are seamless as well -- very necessary in a film that dares to give us viewpoints of each character at various points in the film through voiceovers. One humorous transition that brought a chuckle to me was the Donovan song "Jennifer" playing softly in the background just as Tammy is describing her new friend.
Tammy also has some of the best lines in the film in the big gym scene: "Who cares about this stupid election?" In doing so she echoes what many of us already feel about American politics, which is one of the best things that Election does. It acts effectively as a metaphor of our times . With its dark humor Election tackles politics, society, marital issues, and moral choices. Even the theme of political "revenge" at the smallest levels is done nicely with the brief scenes with the school custodian.
While not for everyone, people who enjoy dark humor and satire will likely enjoy Election. Open minded people looking for a well constructed film will also appreciate this film. I enjoyed it enough to take a friend with me to see it again within a week, to go again when it came to the cheap theaters, to purchase a copy of the video as soon as the price was affordable, and to upgrade to a DVD copy after getting a player.
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