Critic says ‘Swing Vote’ inflicts cruel punishment on viewers
Even the Joker might consider the creators of “Swing Vote” guilty of inflicting cruel and unusual punishment on viewers. In the farfetched PG-13 political comedy, Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner of “Bull Durham”), an unemployed, single parent from New Mexico, ends up responsible for casting the vote that will elect either the Republican incumbent (Kelsey Grammer of TV’s “Cheers”) or his Democratic challenger (Dennis Hopper of “Blue Velvet”) as president of the United States.
After two hours of suffering through watching Bud as he goes from a carefree fisherman with a six-pack at his side to a budding statesman with the weight of the world on his shoulders, here’s what happens. Nothing.
I won’t ruin the ending, but those seeking a moment of truth while learning who will lead the country may ultimately feel more frustrated than enlightened. (At an invitational advance screening, some audience members reacted to the finish with a chorus of boos.)
It’s sad that director Joshua Michael Stern (“Neverwas”) allows the film to veer so far off target.
Certainly even Barack Obama and John McCain might support a film that poked fun at the campaigning process and offered lessons about electing candidates willing to help the poor, citizens without health insurance and workers facing dwindling job opportunities, but “Swing Vote” proves so over-the-top that its good intentions sink in a sea of clich?s.
The director obviously intended “Swing Vote” to have the type of uplifting spirit provided by Frank Capra in films such as “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” but even with a talented easygoing star like Costner involved, the film just drags along and points fingers at obvious targets such as hungry-to-win candidates who have forgotten their core values.
In the story, Johnson’s daughter, Molly (12-year-old Madeline Carroll of “The Santa Clause 3”), is an intelligent youngster with a keen interest in politics. On election night, she sneaks into a polling place, signs the name of her father, who’s too drunk to participate in the political process, and casts a vote under his name.
Through a bizarre twist of fate, the vote doesn’t register due to a brief power failure. That means Johnson can re-cast his ballot, and when his vote becomes the only one that can end a tie between the presidential candidates, politicians and media members descend on him.
Dad and daughter vow to lie about the girl’s illegal action, and soon after, they’re in the midst of a political storm, one the daughter rejects due to manipulative elements and the father embraces thanks to plenty of free gifts.
“Swing Vote” abounds with good intentions and benefits from terrific supporting players such as Nathan Lane (“The Producers”) and Stanley Tucci (“The Devil Wears Prada”) as win-at-all-costs campaign managers. Also adding some fun is George Lopez (“Balls of Fury”) as a local TV news director desperately seeking an important story.
Poor Paula Patton (“D?j? Vu”) has a thankless role as a local television reporter who finds out the father and daughter didn’t tell the truth, feels sympathy for them and then – believe it or not – allows them perpetuate the lie rather than helping them reveal what really happened.
In the end, “Swing Vote” wraps political lessons around a trailer-park resident who has steadfastly avoided doing the right thing in life, but even the most kind-hearted political junkies might find its predictable themes about as broad as an episode of “My Name Is Earl” and not nearly as funny.
FILM REVIEW
“Swing Vote”
Grade: C-
Starring: Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Stanley Tucci, George Lopez and Madeline Carroll; screenplay by Jason Richman and Joshua Michael Stern; directed by Stern.
Running Time: 120 minutes.
Parental Guide: PG-13 (harsh four-letter profanity).