Alexander Payne’s second film was a brilliant little gem
called Election, a satirical look at
electoral process through the prism of a high school student council election.
The screenplay was adapted from Tom Perrotta’s novel by Payne and Jim Taylor
and is as true to high school life and character as it is cynically observant
of political ambition.
Reese Witherspoon achieved major breakout success playing
Tracy Flick, the little bundle of gumption and up-start attitude that comes
across as admirable in a teenager, but which has the potential to transition
into an adulthood of stepping on everyone to achieve her goals. Matthew
Broderick plays the popular history teacher, Jim McAllister, who oversees
student government elections. He teaches the students civics and about the
difference between morals and ethics – a line he would do well to consider
later in the film when he manipulates the election results and cheats on his
wife. Mr. McAllister is one of those teachers that students remember their
whole lives. He is dedicated and enthusiastic and truly a stand-up guy, even
standing beside his friend and colleague Dave Novotni after it’s discovered
he’s been having an affair with sixteen-year old Tracy (the one detail I find
sort of unbelievable in an otherwise perfect movie because girls like Tracy are
not typically sexually ambitious and aren’t targeted by men like Dave.
