Swing Vote
August 2, 2008 at 3:39 p.m.
Swing Vote is the story of a man named Bud Johnson, played by Kevin Costner, who finds himself literally centered in American politics. He’s a resident of Texico, New Mexico and a single father whose idea of a loaded ballot is the choice between a day spent fishing or a day spent saddled up at the bar, sipping his favorite cold drink—which just so happens to share his name. His apathetic view of life is trumped only by his love for his daughter Molly, played by Madeline Carroll (Lost, The Santa Clause 3), provided that love doesn’t get in the way of his daily practice of slacking off and drinking beer.
Thinking that doing so will put him on “the fast track to jury duty,” Bud hasn’t even registered to vote. That’s his belief, anyway. In reality, his ambitious 12-year-old-daughter has taken care of it for him. It’s just part of her own routine of playing her father’s concierge: she wakes him up in the morning, cooks his meals and lectures him about his lackluster performance at the egg farm where he works.
So when the presidential election results come rolling in and the nation is locked in a dead heat, it’s New Mexico that’s too close to call. Then it’s Curry County that announces it's split down the center, teetering on a single vote rendered invalid by a computer error: Bud’s.
The film does just fine as a comedy, but gets a little sidetracked when it starts to take itself too seriously. The dramatic subplots could have been left out to make a much better film. The dynamic between Costner and young Carroll is excellent; it will warm your heart and crush it at the same time. Swing Vote is a humorous satire of the carnival the democratic process has become that ultimately accomplishes what it set out to do: tell an inspiring story with a few laughs along the way.
VVV
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