Review of Election (1999) by Matthew P — 23 Apr 2012

Directed by Alexander Payne (About Schmidt (2002), Sideways (2004) and The Descendants (2011)), this was adapted from Tom Perrotta's 1998 novel, this is a funny, offbeat comedy-drama with a good independent spirit about it, and featuring much of Payne's style of directing that would be evident in his films to come.

Set in Omaha, Nebraska, Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) is a frustrated High School teacher who is coming to terms with middle-age, single and alone. At the school, Overachieving student Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) announces she's to run for student body president, which annoys Jim as he's in charge of organising the school's student government, and that he absolutely cannot stand Tracy, because she's so clever at getting ahead in life, and that she had an affair with Jim's friend and fellow teacher Dave (Mark Harelik), who got the sack while Tracy got away without any punishment.

Jim has had enough, and he grooms a rival candidate in Paul Metzler (Chris Klein), who is the star football player with a broken leg, and Jim is determined to see Paul win the student election, even if it means playing dirty.

It's a well made indie film, with Broderick giving a very good performance, maybe one of his best since the 80's, while Witherspoon manages to make Tracy Flick both annoying and likable all at once, it has some good set-up's and it shows an honest, small-scale view of high school.