Tracy
Flick is an ambitous overachieving high school busybody running for
class president. Jim McAllister is a teacher at the school in charge
of the election and is hellbent against seeing Flick succeed to the
job, since he feels she was partially responsible for his best friend
losing his teaching job due to an affair with said Flick. He also
fears he will be tempted himself since her winning the election would
mean she would be working closely with him and he fears the same
result that happened to his friend will happen to him. Mr.
McAllister decides to spur the school's most popular football player
Paul, a popular but not-so-bright loveable jock, to run against her.
Paul's lesbian sister then attempts to abotage the election and run
herself since the girl she is interested in is now going out with
Paul. With all of the elements in place, McAllister tries to keep
things together, but with so much volatility in the mix, it's easier
said than done.
ELECTION is one of the most refreshingly original and vibrant "teen comedies" to come out in a very long time. Based on the novel by Tom Perrota, the script and direction by Payne is energetic perfection. The actors are perfectly cast in their roles, with Reese Witherspoon stealing the show as the tempestuous Flick, who will do anything to get her way. Broderick gives his best performance since GLORY, and is fun to watch as the anti-Ferris (Bueller), who tries to bend the rules of ethics, but soon learns his own lesson that every unethical action, no matter how insignificant, can carry large results.
ELECTION is
one of the funniest and most impressive films of 1999. It's sad that
it didn't fare as well as other more inferior teen comedies of that
year. Winner of the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best
Screenplay and it's well-deserved. As far as best comedy of 1999,
I'm going to give ELECTION my vote.
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