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Review #276 of 365
Film: Man of the Year (2006) [PG] 115 minutes
WIP™ Scale: $10.75
Where Viewed: United Artists Denver Pavilions Stadium 15, Denver, CO
When 1st Seen: 14 October 2006
Time: 10:35 a.m.
Film's Official Website
Directed by: Barry Levinson (Wag the Dog)
Written by: Barry Levinson (Liberty Heights)
Featured Cast (Where You Might Remember Him/Her From):
Robin Williams (The Night Listener) • Christopher Walken (Click) • Laura Linney (The Squid and the Whale) • Lewis Black (Accepted) • Jeff Goldblum (Independence Day)
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word or less review of this film]
What happens when the director of the still-relevant political comedy, Wag the Dog, re-teams with one of the relentless comedians of the day to make a film about a Dennis Miller-like comedian becoming president? What could happen could be a brilliant and hilarious satire especially given the current political landscape. Unfortunately, instead, what happens bears more resemblance to a 42-bandwagon collision on Interstate 395. Well, that's an exaggeration. Really, it's more like 3 bandwagons, so forgive the hyperbole. Instead of focusing on the implications of a politically independent comedian who makes his living tossing jibes at politically non-descript politicians and their policies and becoming president, instead of firing up all the ebullient comedy of Robin Williams and unleashing his full talents on the role, Mr. Levinson decided to take this story down the path of evil conspirator voter machine manufacturers. These gentlemen, chief among them Alan Stewart (Jeff Goldblum), refuse to acknowledge a software glitch that picks a winner based on whom among the candidates has double consonants in his or her name of the highest alphabetical order and allowing the wrong person to become president rather than watch their stock price and company fall into ruin. Therefore, instead of an uplifting look at an alternate future where partisan politicians get thumped by a no-nonsense, honest, non-partisan comedian, Man of the Year presents all the more reason to be suspicious of electronic voting machines. Worse though, perhaps, is the slant given to the American people whom, again, despite having nothing to choose from but the 'cut from the same cloth' stoic politicians proven beholden to the special interest groups and campaign funders who got them elected rather than the people who actually voted for them, stick to their old ways and re-elect an incumbent. It's difficult to see, therefore, with whom or what Levinson has more of a beef with, the voters, the politicians, the corporations, or the system. It's hard to believe, given the times, that if Robin Williams were really running for president in 2008, that he wouldn't win by a landslide were he to pull the stunts and be Tom Dobbs whom he very capably portrays in the film.
"…a 42-bandwagon collision on Interstate 395…the film turns from fresh comedy to dark conspiracy…"
The story, as hinted at above, begins with a casual question during one of Tom Dobbs's, audience, warm up routines. A woman asks him why, with all of this knowledge of the issues and opinions reflective of the people, didn't he run for president. Four million emails later, he declared his candidacy much to the complete surprise of his manager, Jack Menken (Christopher Walken) and producer Eddie Lagston (Lewis Black). Meanwhile, in the background, voting machine software engineer, Eleanor Green (Laura Linney) finds in simulations that the software doesn't work and picks the wrong winner to be president. When she presents this to her higher-ups, they tell her she's wrong, while then secretly plotting to discredit her and to overlook any irregularities that might emerge from the use of their computer system used to determine the outcome of the presidential election among incumbent Kellogg, Senator Mills, and upstart Dobbs. The elections happen and despite odds and predictions, the voting system declares Dobbs the winner. From that point on, the film turns from fresh comedy to dark conspiracy as Eleanor Green wrestles her conscience over the knowledge that Dobbs shouldn't have won and whether she should tell him, the voting machine company will stop at nothing to silence her, and the free world starts to get a positive and upbeat glimpse of what a Dobbs-led USA could mean.
In the end, it's easy to lose sight of what message or point Levinson was trying to make with the film. While he may have preferred not to venture into more predictable territory by mapping out a four-year stint as president by a comedian reclaiming a world where good natured humor and always constructive yet funny criticism among world leaders might replace vicious political barbs and name-calling sessions at the UN. The route he chose, however, fell quickly into realms served better by Turow, Grisham, and Clancy. Ultimately, the acting and directing are all stable, the story, however, should have been line-item vetoed in favor of a film that would have left with people cheering change with hope for the future.
In the end, it's easy to lose sight of what message or point Levinson was trying to make with the film. While he may have preferred not to venture into more predictable territory by mapping out a four-year stint as president by a comedian reclaiming a world where good natured humor and always constructive yet funny criticism among world leaders might replace vicious political barbs and name-calling sessions at the UN. The route he chose, however, fell quickly into realms served better by Turow, Grisham, and Clancy. Ultimately, the acting and directing are all stable, the story, however, should have been line-item vetoed in favor of a film that would have left with people cheering change with hope for the future.
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Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Click for 'Review Lite' [a 150-word review of this film]
Other Projects Featuring Man of the Year (2006)
Cast Members
Robin Williams
• Christopher Walken • Laura LinneyLewis Black
• Jeff GoldblumDirector
Barry Levinson
Original Music composer
Graeme Revell
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Man of the Year (2006) Review-lite [150-word cap]
What happens when the director of the still-relevant political comedy Barry Levinson, Wag the Dog, re-teams with one of the relentless comedians of the day to make a film about a Dennis Miller-like comedian (Robin Williams) becoming president? What could happen would be a brilliant and hilarious satire especially given the current political landscape. Unfortunately, instead, Man of the Year bears more resemblance to a 42-bandwagon collision on Interstate 395. Instead of focusing on the implications of a politically independent comedian becoming president of the USA, Mr. Levinson focused on a conspiracy surrounding the computerized voting system—territory better handled by Tom Clancy. While he may have preferred not to venture into predictable territory, the resulting story should have been line-item vetoed in favor of one that would have left audiences craving more instead of wondering what just happened and why.
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