Election (Wide Screen)

Advantages: Reese Witherspoon in an earlier and darker comic role.
Disadvantages: Those damn freeze-frames!

...grudge against Tracy. It’s election time in the school again, an election that Tracy has won for the past few years and is running for again this year – she’s a guaranteed winner, seeing as she’s the only competitor! Fed up of seeing Tracy always get what she wants, McAllister persuades injured school sports star Paul Metzler (Chris Klein) to run against her. When Paul’s lesbian sister Tammy’s girlfriend dumps her and starts dating him instead, Tammy ...
...Paul by running for the election herself. Not being used to the competition, Tracy gets upset and goes a little mad, while McAllister is backing Paul and trying to secure votes for him behind everyone’s backs. Meanwhile, there’s an odd subplot to add to all this – McAllister has just started an affair with his best friend’s (the teacher who got fired) ex-wife… During the election speeches, Tammy wins the crowd over and looks set to be the surefire ... Read review

Advantages: Witherspoon, Broderick, and director Payne
Disadvantages: none really.

Election is a wonderful film on several different levels. Director Alexander Payne (Citizen Ruth) has crafted a fierce satire that takes aim at every level of high school life: nerds, jocks, lesbians, cheerleaders, parents, and faculty. No one emerges unscathed in this highly humerous, and quite intelligent adaption of Tom Perrotta's novel. I can hardly wait to see Payne's next film, the upcoming About Schmidt with Jack Nicholson. In my book - besides ...
...wrong. Election features Reese Witherspoon - in perhaphs her best role to date - playing Tracy Flick, a highly motivated "go getter" to say the least. Tracy is the girl you knew in high school who was in all the clubs, got all the good grades, and always had her hand up to answer the teacher's questions. In a word: annoying. Despite her startling determination to succeed, often at the expense of others, Tracy managed to seduce one of the faculty ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliant understated film making
Disadvantages: Ummm..

...premise is simple: a school election for School COuncil president has only one candidate, the ferociously ambitious Tracy Flick. Tracy is disliked intensely by her teacher, Mr McAllister, who has been teaching high school politics and society for decades and tries his best to convince himself that he's made a success out of his life. Mr M feels that it isn't good for Tracy to have everything her own way: basically he can't stand the idea of having ...
...a kindly teacher manipulating an election purely in the interests of his students, his life starts to fall apart. We understand gradually that he treats his private life with the same conviction that everything he does is justified, and the result is just as much chaos. Tracy, meanwhile, is equally convinced she is doing the right thing and at first appears far more obnoxious - but at least she plays by the rules. I will give away no more of the ... Read review

Advantages: strong casting plot and filming
Disadvantages: a little old now

Election is a fast paced film of the "set in a high school" genre which covers the run up to a senior school election through the eyes of all involved. The film, although filled with humour and great fun, differentiates itself from the normally meaningless chick flicks associated with the genre by incorporating many serious morals, issues and life lessons. The film also delves into the realm of day to day high school life and personal student teacher ...
...the only candidate in the election is the film's antagonist Tracy flick ( Reese Witherspoon). At first she seems to be the ideal candidate; intelligent, respectful, caring and ambitious. However as the plot unfolds we see Tracy in a different light through the narrative voice of her teacher Jim McAllister the protagonist (Matthew Broderick.) Through his experiences of her, we learn she is self obsessed, narcissistic, manipulative and will do anything ... Read review

Advantages: A change from blockbusters
Disadvantages: Not outstanding

...will run away with the election and again be successful and, through his jealousy for the opportunities she has ahead and the missed ones he has squandered in his past, he encourages the school jock (Chris Klein) to enter the election. He does so, as does his sister (Jess Campbell) who feels she needs to put one over on her brother for reasons for which you will have to watch the film to find out. Mr M is also an interesting character, a passionate ...
...than his role in the election he also finds time to become attracted to his wifes best friend - busy guy. What follows is an intriguing set of twists as we follow the story through the narration of several different characters which makes for a unique and diverse angle for the viewer. Without giving any more away it must be said that the ending is 'unexpected'. Overall this film will not blow you away, but nor will it force you to take a lethal ... Read review