A high school teacher attempts to sabotage the student body
president election so an obsessive overachiever doesn't win. COMEDY
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Election (1999)Directed by Alexander Payne
Written by Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor Starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Phil Reeves, Molly Hagan, Delaney Driscoll, Frankie Ingrassia Based on the novel by Tom Perrotta Oscar Nominations - Best Adapted Screenplay |
Election was an odd black comedy that was really only worth a few chuckles but deserves praise for its bizarre story and noteworthy performances. I'll admit, I wasn't sure about this one for a while but once it got going, the story sucked me in.
Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon are fantastic in their respective roles. I'm actually surprised they didn't garner more attention from this. The supporting cast are good too, but the real star is the screenplay. It's really fascinating how one teacher's personal life going berserk can lead to a sabotaged election. It's the Rube Goldberg Machine of comedies. Like I said, there are only a few moments that actually made me laugh. The film, if anything, is really more of a political thriller mixed with teen angst (The Contender meets Dawson's Creek, if you will). That isn't to say it's not a good film. It is, just not if you're looking for a laugh out loud comedy. |