Review of Swing Vote (2008) by Robert G — 04 Sep 2009

Kevin Costner is absolutely great as a redneck, alcoholic, and neglectful father nicknamed Bud. And he likes to drink Budweiser! Reminds me of my dad, who is also nicknamed Budd, and also loved to drink Budweiser when I was growing up.

I doubt either of them were nicknamed for their favorite beer; it's just a plain coincedence. We had a saying growing up - Budweiser makes Bud wiser. Christ, I can't believe how funny we thought that was.

Anyways, about the movie. Bud neglects to go with his daughter on the eve of the big presidential election because he was out getting drunk after being laid off from his job, so she tries to vote for him, forging his name and everything.

But when she enters the ballot in the machine the power gets cut off. The election turns out to be a tie, and they find out the ballot was Bud's, and he becomes the deciding vote in the election, hence the name "Swing Vote" (and I thought the title referred to an election in a swinger's club for president).

So Bud becomes an overnight celebrity and both nominees (Kelsey Grammar and Dennis Hopper) start scrambling to get his vote, going to such lengths it becomes ridiculous. They keep changing their stances on policies to accomendate Bud, like when he says he's Pro-Life and Dennis Hopper films a stupid anti-abortion commercial at a playground where kids are exploding into black smoke.

But mostly it's a touching movie about the relationship between a father and his daughter. And I didn't realize Bud's friend, a Jeff Foxworthy lookalike, was actually Judge Reinhold until an hour into it.

Spoilers - I guess it doesn't really matter who Bud votes for, but I was kind of pissed off that you don't get to find out in the end (and it's a very long movie). Other than that this was a pretty good film.

And oh, Budweiser is absolute piss water.