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Obama's Favorite Movie

 In 2019, Alexander Payne's "Election" turned twenty years old, and it seemed to become a new movie.


For a long while, Tracy Flick had appeared villainous. This reading of the movie centers on Tracy's destruction of opponents' posters. She interferes with others' property, then lies; she allows an innocent person to take the hit. Also, she is a Republican. Finally, and obnoxiously, she thinks she is better than the students around her.

The new reading of Tracy Flick sort of ignores these events. It focuses on the fact that Tracy is groomed and violated by a middle-aged teacher. Next, the teacher's friend throws an election to ruin Tracy's dream. In one of many brilliant depictions of petty meaniness, Payne has the teacher avoiding Tracy's raised hand, just because he doesn't want to hear her voice in civics class.

I think neither reading is entirely satisfying. Tracy isn't a villain--but this doesn't mean she lacks villainous qualities.

The wonderful thing about Payne's script--and about Perrotta's novel--is that the characters are flawed, pitiful, human. They lie to themselves; the voiceover tells us one thing, while the all-seeing camera tells us the truth. ("I've really turned a corner," says Matthew Broderick's narrator. "I'm a new man." At the same time, the camera catches him throwing a large soda at Tracy Flick's vehicle; this is a childish act of rage.)

When I rewatch this bleak and dazzling movie, I'm drawn to the details. I love that Broderick's wife screams "FILL ME UP!" during sex. This is meant to be exciting, but in fact it reminds Broderick of his strictly utilitarian value--and we see him slowly dying underneath his bland midwestern mask. I love the truthfulness of the writing: Past behaviors are a fine way to predict future behaviors. Tammy's girlfriend jumps ship for Tammy's brother--only to jump ship, soon after, for a yet-more-seductive football player. I love that the principal has his secretary announce an impending voiceover bulletin--before the principal steps up to the microphone. (And I love that the principal then trips over his own words.)

Reese Witherspoon earned a Golden Globe nod in 1999--and she has never been better.

I think the same is true for Alexander Payne.
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