It may be a little early in the season yet, but there is a little doubt that this year's film offerings have been stale. For those looking for a fresh breath of cinematic air, "Election" is it. This artfully dead-on satire of high school politics and social life is a dark and witty departure from traditional spring movie fare. Directed by unknown Alexander Payne and written by Payne and Jim Taylor, "Election" is a wickedly funny and insightful black comedy.
Part of "Election's" brilliance lies in its perfect casting. Matthew Broderick finally escapes his most famous role: the wise, mischievous, but essentially good-hearted Ferris in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off." In fact, Broderick manages to switch places and becomes one of Ferris's old enemies: a seemingly kind but ultimately corrupt high-school teacher. He plays Jim McAllister, an overweight, horribly dressed version of Broderick that would fit right in at Ferris's school.
The flip side and Broderick's mortal enemy is Reese Witherspoon's ruthlessly goody-goody student, Tracy Flick (her grotesquely pervasive slogan, "Pick Flick," would spark rage in anyone). Even more so than Broderick's character ("Mr. M"), Tracy embodies a high school archetype with whom anyone can identify, particularly Dartmouth students. Flick always knows the answer, bakes perfect muffins, and MUST be her class president. Everyone knows someone like Tracy, but in this case, her superficially kind exterior hides unfettered and corrupting ambition that refuses to be blunted.
Tracy runs for school president unopposed and Mr. M decides he cannot allow her to win. He prompts football hero Paul Metzler, out for the season with a broken leg, to challenge Tracy's bid. Tracy smells betrayal immediately, and Paul's good-natured, well-moneyed popularity is just the thing to infuriate the up-by-her-bootstraps daughter of a paralegal. Everything has come to Paul easily, and when he enters the election, he expects the same . But maybe not, with Tracy Flick on the case.
However, there's far more to the story at this dreary Omaha high school. Mr. M's resentment of young Tracy goes beyond her nauseating personality or her drive to succeed. Tracy becomes sexually involved with Mr. Novotny (Mark Harelik), Mr. M's best friend and fellow teacher. The details of the story unfold in front of the school's principal with a shockingly depressing scene showing Novotny crying and an unsupportive Mr. M timidly standing off to the side.
This is "Election," an eloquent parody that is not afraid to explore the dirty, deep and dark sexual side of high school life. Mr. M's desire for Tracy is obvious to viewers from the beginning, although hidden from all others, including himself. Tracy viciously excuses herself of all culpability in her affair with Mr. Novotny, believing that she is a special person, above others and only capable of really interacting with adults rather than her peers.
In the beginning, Broderick exemplifies pitiful idealism, poor and supposedly happy rather than ambition-consumed and miserable. As the film continues, his life grows steadily more miserable, beginning with his decision to sleep with the unfettered Mrs. Novotny and the ensuing betrayal, along with his unstoppable urge to stop Tracy's election. The primary source of "Election's" intelligence comes from its frank look at the extremes of American lifestyle. On one end is Mr. M, an idealistic teacher and champion of the underdog. He sees Tracy's ambition and drive as evil and manipulative. Tracy, on the other hand, represents blind ambition, the force driving so many of America's corrupt lawyers, politicians and Wall Street residents. Mr. M lives an empty existence, self-satisfied in his liberal rectitude while Tracy Flick takes sustenance from her almost-total fulfillment of the American dream.
"Election" is surprisingly manipulative. The best (and most distressing) part of the film is its deadly accurate portrayal of its characters. While at first, viewers cannot help but hate Tracy, by the end, "Election" manages to make viewers take a deeper look at the movie's characters and themselves. While Tracy is still detestable, viewers cannot help but wonder whether Mr. M's sentiments are nothing more than sexual frustration, existential disappointment and fundamental jealousy. Anyone watching this movie will walk out wondering whether they, in some ways, tread too closely to the ground covered by the movie's personalities.
"Election" is witty, hilarious and thought provoking. If movies like "Varsity Blues" and "She's All That" left you feeling empty inside, you owe it to yourself to check out this brilliant film, playing at the Nugget Theater.
