Election (1999)

Election: Directed by Alexander Payne. With Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell. A high school teacher meets his match in an over-achieving student politician.

“u0026quot;Dear Lord Jesus,u0026quot; prays Tracy Flick the night before the election for student body president, u0026quot;I do not often speak with you and ask for things, but now, I really must insist that you help me win the election tomorrow because I deserve it and Paul Metzler doesnu0026#39;t, as you well know. I realize that it was your divine hand that disqualified Tammy Metzler and now Iu0026#39;m asking that you go that one last mile and make sure to put me in office where I belong so that I may carry out your will on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.u0026quot; u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eTracy (Reese Witherspoon) is an overachieving senior in suburban George Washington Carver High School (where the student body is all white). What Tracy wants, she gets, using a combination of single-minded hard work, bright smiles as phony as a television infomercial, eager volunteering and a ruthlessness that varies between chirpiness and squinted eyes. As Tracy says, quoting her Mom, u0026quot;The weak are always trying to sabotage the strong.u0026quot; u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThen one of Tracyu0026#39;s teachers, Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) decides the world needs to be saved from Tracy. He talks one of the schoolu0026#39;s popular football athleteu0026#39;s to run against Tracy. From now on Jim has his hands full trying to sabotage Tracyu0026#39;s relentless campaign, impregnate his wife, convince himself his next door neighbor, a recent divorcée, is really going to understand him if they can only check into a motel for a couple of hours…and deal with the consequences of everything he set in motion. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eElection, written and directed by Alexander Payne, is one of the funniest, darkest satires of human behavior since Jonathan Swift recommended that the poor should simply sell their children to be eaten by the rich. There are a lot of teenagers in this movie, but itu0026#39;s not just another teen-age movie. Weu0026#39;re looking at the ludicrous depths to which ambition and good intentions, when mixed with politics, can take us. If that seems ponderous, itu0026#39;s about as ponderous as Tracy Flicku0026#39;s mom writing compulsively to people like Connie Chung and Elizabeth Dole asking for advice. (Never give up on your dreams is the usual reply.) u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe script moves from the exaggerated to the outlandish with great style. The actors deliver the goods with deadpan sincerity and self-serving honesty. Reese Witherspoon as Tracy Flick hits the bullu0026#39;s-eye with unnerving accuracy. She is so sincere in her insincerity, which is, in Tracy Flicku0026#39;s own way, completely sincere, that Witherspoon makes us smile and shudder at the same time. As outstanding as she is, Matthew Broderick is the heart of the movie. Jim McAllister is part lech, part nebbish, but mostly good guy. Itu0026#39;s a funny, almost poignant performance. Payneu0026#39;s script and Brodericku0026#39;s acting give us a perfect ending thatu0026#39;s just as brittle, cool and amusing as the rest of the movie. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI like Election a lot. I hope as time passes the movie isnu0026#39;t forgotten.”