Election **** (1999, Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein) – Classic Movie Review 455

Based on the 1998 novel by Tom Perrotta, co-writer/director Alexander Payne’s 1999 satirical comedy is an incisively funny winner. A metaphor for the state of American politics, Election is a very useful antidote to the late-90s rash of obnoxious, air-headed, sex-obsessed teen comedies.

A hotly contested high school election goes awry at the George Washington Carver High School in Omaha, Nebraska, when Carver High’s popular, much-respected and well-meaning student adviser Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) decides to sabotage the campaign of an over-achieving student, Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon).

It’s a surprisingly sharp and witty campus black comedy, taking an incisively offbeat look at an ordinary American high school and the weirdoes who inhabit it. Both the script and performances are pretty well exactly spot on in a rare American film with a moral dimension. It discusses ethics and scruples, no less.

Broderick and Witherspoon are at their notable best; they just couldn’t be better. Broderick gives a subtle performance of quite steely determination and Witherspoon’s scarily hardnosed turn is a very useful antidote to her Legally Blonde persona. American Pie’s Chris Klein is also is the cast as popular varsity football player Paul Metzler, whom Jim talks into running for president as well.

Payne’s script is co-written by Jim Taylor. Payne’s other work includes About Schmidt (2002), Sideways (2004), The Descendants (2011) and Nebraska (2013). Every one a winner. Double Oscar-winner Payne’s home town is Omaha, Nebraska.

© Derek Winnert 2013 Classic Movie Review 455

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