DVD Tuesday Kevin Costner Casts His Swing Vote
Costner and Madeline Carroll Need Your Vote in Election Comedy Drama
Jan 13, 2009
Gridlocked in a 267-266 dead heat, the Republican incumbent and Democratic challenger (phoned in by Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper, respectively) must turn their attention to the small town of Texico, New Mexico, in order to win the soon-to-be-recast vote of one man… Bud Johnson, a blue collar Joe with his brilliant, civic-minded young daughter Molly.
The catch: Bud (Costner) is so withdrawn and clueless at the state of the world that he could care less how important his decision is. He didn’t even cast his vote in the first place. Molly did!
The movie’s heart and soul is the sometimes humorous, sometimes poignant, father-daughter drama kept afloat by a rowdy, irreverent Costner and Carroll’s brilliant turn as his 12-year old daughter in what comes across as the lead role. While this may not have been the intent of Jason Richman and director Joshua Michael Stern’s script, it certainly turns out that way. The film owes all to the broad acting shoulders of this young prodigy, who carries Costner and crew aboard.
Carroll is mesmerizing. Remove her from this film, and there is a large void. With her, you’re pulling for Bud to conquer his demons and make the right decision every step of the way. Every disappointment he brings her breaks off a little piece of your heart. Carroll’s Molly is patient and hopeful with her kind alcoholic father, even though she must constantly prod him to take her to school and be to work on time.
They live in a trailer near the small community of Texico, population 653, a detail that will prove important when an improbable (dare one says impossible) voting mishap leads to Bud’s one uncounted vote as the center of the nation’s attention in the days following the Election.
After one too many disappointments and an ill-fated marriage to Molly’s junkie mother (Mare Winningham), Bud has allowed his mind to atrophy. He cares so little for anything beyond booze and Molly that we wonder how this young lady got to be so exceptional. Of course, children rise above their surroundings all the time, so this is not so much a criticism as an observation. Wherever the source, Molly’s got a certain quality about her that captures attention and conquers hearts… namely Bud’s.
While Swing Vote isn’t Oscar-material, Carroll should be considered without question for a Best Supporting Actress nomination. The film keeps you smiling, and she is responsible 90% of the time. The other 10% comes from tried-and-true Costner and a rare film appearance from Judge Reinhold in an uncharacteristic role as a factory-working friend of Bud’s.
Swing Vote offers character-based humor and avoids attempts at the big laugh or gimmick-riddled concept beyond its inciting incident which does require viewers to take a huge leap of logic. Difficult or not, keep an open mind… because if you can make that leap, a solid grounding of soulful comedy-drama awaits.
Read more about Swing Vote at the Internet Movie Database and Video ETA.
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