SWING VOTE pretty much got slammed by the critics when it came out and it ended up doing OK at the box office - not great, not horrible - just a flatline somewhat. So very low expectations when we checked this out from the library recently and was pleasantly surprised. Costner has had the typical roller-coaster ride of many male movie stars - after Bull Durham, No Way Out, Dances With Wolves - he was on fire and then the infamous Waterworld and The Postman sunk his career - he smartly went away and then tried to reinvent himself as a character actor - he did some nice work with Joanj Allen in an uneven film Upside Of Anger and I actually am in the minority because I loved his serial killer movie Mr. Brooks - and here he is perfect as Bud Johnson, a beer swilling loser who can barely get up in the morning and he constantly lets down his daughter - a civic minded, A student kid. Carroll gives a terrific performance as Molly - it is multi-layered and she and Costner have a wonderful rapport - Costner looks like crap throughout most of the film and its one of the things that makes the movie work - he looks his age, wrinkled, bags under his eyes, his hair always a mess, a bit of a gut - he seems comfortable int he skin of his small town guy. Yes, the plot takes some swallowing but overall - a nice political comedy with some nice supporting work from stalwarts like Nathan Lane, Kelsey Grammar, George Lopez and Stanley Tucci = this is a smart, funny comedy worth seeking out.
Review of Swing Vote
