Swing Vote (2008)

In a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote.

Director:

Joshua Michael Stern

Writers:

Jason Richman, Joshua Michael Stern

Stars:

Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kevin Costner	...	Bud Johnson
Madeline Carroll	...	Molly Johnson
Paula Patton	...	Kate Madison
Kelsey Grammer	...	President Andrew Boone
Dennis Hopper	...	Donald Greenleaf
Nathan Lane	...	Art Crumb
Stanley Tucci	...	Martin Fox
George Lopez	...	John Sweeney
Judge Reinhold	...	Walter
Charles Esten	...	Lewis (as Charles 'Chip' Esten)
Richard Petty	...	Richard Petty
Willie Nelson	...	Willie Nelson
Mare Winningham	...	Larissa Johnson
Mark Moses	...	Attorney General Wyatt
Nana Visitor	...	Galena Greenleaf

Storyline

November, 2004, New Mexico. Bud is a slacker with one good thing in his life, his engaging fifth-grade daughter Molly. On election day, Bud is supposed to meet her at the polling place. When he doesn't show, she sneaks a ballot and is about to vote when the power goes off. It turns out that New Mexico's electoral votes will decide the contest, and there it's tied with one vote needing recasting - Bud's. The world's media and both presidential candidates, including the current President, descend on Bud in anticipation of his re-vote in two weeks. Can the clueless Bud, even with the help of Molly and a local TV reporter, handle this responsibility?

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Plot Keywords:

presidential candidate | election returns | election coverage | election night | voting results | 

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Taglines:

A nobody becomes the voice of everybody.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for language

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 August 2008 (USA)

Also Known As:

Un papá muy poderoso

Filming Locations:

New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$21,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$6,230,669, 3 August 2008, Wide Release

Gross USA:

$16,284,360, 12 October 2008

Company Credits

Production Co:

Touchstone Pictures, Radar Pictures, 1821 Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Madeline Carroll received an 'introducing' credit even though Carroll had appeared in at least three other feature films prior to this cinema movie: When a Stranger Calls (2006), Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), and The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006).

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Goofs

The power pole outside Bud's trailer has there is no power meter, even though wires go to the trailer.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Radio Announcer: After a hotly contested race Americans go to the polls today for what promises to be a very close election. The Republican incumbent Andrew Carrington is hoping to hold on to the Oval Office, taking on Democratic challenger...

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Crazy Credits

"and introducing Madeline Carroll"

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Connections

References Road Trip (2000)

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Soundtracks

Semper Fidelis
Written by John Philip Sousa
Arranged by George Wilson
Courtesy of APM Music

User Reviews

works better as a human drama than as a political satire

If the 2000 Presidential election could be decided by a single county in Florida (with a little help from the United States Supreme Court, of course), imagine what it would be like if the decision ever came down to a single individual voter! That's the scenario put forth by "Swing Vote," a political fantasy that will probably be remembered more for launching the career of a talented young actress than for any insight it might offer into the political process.

Bud Johnson is a working-class divorced dad who lives in a broken-down trailer with his bright, twelve-year-old daughter, Molly - a youngster who is as astute and savvy about real world issues and politics as her father is ignorant and apathetic. Through a complicated fluke of fate, Bud finds himself in the unenviable position of being the sole swing vote in an otherwise deadlocked presidential contest. Suddenly, Bud is living in the glare of the media spotlight, besieged by candidates, campaign managers, handlers, celebrities and various special interest groups all vying for his vote.

Political satire rarely works on screen for the simple reason that it is either so slanted (usually towards the liberal side) that it winds up preaching mainly to the converted, or it's kept so inoffensive and generic that it loses any edge it might have had and becomes an exercise in watered-down, self-congratulatory Capraesque populism. "Swing Vote," oddly enough, falls into both categories at once - with conservatives likely to view it as little more than a two-hour commercial for the Democratic Party (or at least the issues they stand for) and move on. In strictly cinematic terms, "Swing Vote," co-written by Jason Richman and Joshua Michael Stern and directed by Stern, is really two movies folded into one. The first is a sometimes touching story of a father/daughter relationship in which the child is parent to the father. Kevin Costner (who pretty much financed the project himself) pours on the charm as a boozy, irresponsible slacker who's more interested in popping open a beer can and plopping down in front of the TV set than in actively rearing his daughter. Relative newcomer Madeline Carroll is a real find as the no-nonsense, wise-beyond-her-years Molly who takes care of her dad and isn't afraid to speak truth to power when the situation calls for it. Whenever the film is concentrating on the interplay between these two characters, it hits a responsive chord in the viewer. In fact, the scene in which Molly confronts the alcoholic mother who abandoned her (wonderfully played by Mare Winningham) makes for some genuinely powerful and gripping human drama.

Unfortunately, the second and much larger portion of the film (that is to say, the political part) doesn't fare nearly so well. Its revelation that politics is a dirty business - i.e. that it often prizes empty platitudes and sound bites over exploring issues of substance, and that it appeals to voters' greed, fears, ignorance and prejudices to win votes - is hardly an earth-shattering one at this late stage of the game, true though it may be. The film has lots of big-name stars - Kelsey Grammar, Dennis Harper, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez, Judge Reinhold - and a number of actual TV pundits and commentators throwing themselves into their roles with admirable aplomb, but the material isn't clever or sharp enough to really deliver the goods. Everyone, except for the two main characters, is quickly reduced to a "type" and the attempts at political parody are fairly obvious and lightweight compared to what we find in venues like "The Daily Show" or "The Colbert Report."

"Swing Vote"'s clarion call for all individuals to take their responsibility as citizens seriously and to become actively involved in the political process can't help but be uplifting and inspiring, especially in a presidential election year. The filmmakers just needed a bolder, more sophisticated vehicle from which to sound that call.

My advice is to look past all the political nonsense and concentrate on the beautiful performance by the young Ms. Carroll instead - and be present at the birth of a brand new star.