Sunday, March 15, 2009

SWING VOTE

SWING VOTE: Released August 1, 2008 - 120 minutes.

Ok, the movie trailer looked pretty good; interesting story. I was a little hesitant because of Kevin Costner's record for bad movies OR maybe his lack of movies lately... although he was good in MR. BROOKS (see this movie).

How can we ever forget WATERWORLD? Or THE POSTMAN? That Elvis movie? I know, I've tried to block these movies from my mind.

This movie clocks in at a whopping 2 hours... and I say 'whopping' since most comedies run about an hour and a half.

The basic premise of the movie is that it all comes down to one man's vote to decide an election. Beer drinkin', laid off, single father common man, Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner) has never voted in his life. His 12 year old daughter Molly (Madeline Carroll) decides to register her father to vote. On Election night her father forgets to pick up his daughter and in turn hangs out at the local bar getting drunk. Without giving too much away - his daughter then decides to make her father's decision in the election. By the next day the world finds out that the election will all come down to Bud Johnson's vote. Each Presidential candidate tries to entice Bud to vote for them.

Kelsey Grammer plays President Boone; who is running for re-election. Stanley Tucci (always great) plays his assistant. Dennis Hopper plays the Democratic candidate, Donald Greenleaf. Nathan Lane plays his assistant.

The movie was actually quit good and has an interesting scenerio although the probability of this ever happening is slim. Even though it is two hours it's not even a movie where you go, "man, is this ever going to end".

I wasn't happy with the ending but Sue thought this was probably how it would end. Not going to tell ya...

Also starring: Judge Reinhold, Mare Winningham (brief appearance), Richard Petty (yes, the Nascar guy), Willie Nelson and some guy who I was convinced was Charles Grodin (and it was not him)...

Special note: It is surprising to know that Kelsey Grammer is not that annoying in this movie and plays the part of the President quit well. I don't know why but I've always found his annoying and hard to watch.

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