Mutant Reviewers from Hell do
“Just get rid of the grin... you look like a schmuck.”

1993 PG-13 / Comedy Romance Directed by: Ivan Reitman Starring: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Frank Langella

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Summary Capsule

A doppleganger takes over for the president, under the influence of the evil chief of staff and communications director. Will he be able to save the country in time?

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DVD | Soundtrack (Score)

Lissa's Rating: Toby Ziegler could kick Alan Reed’s butt any day.
Lissa's Review: I never expected to be a West Wing fan. I’m not much into politics, and even during my college years when it’s almost mandatory to protest everything from selling arms to Israel to the evil fascism of the administration on campus to what’s for lunch. Actually, I’m more interested in politics now that I’m a True Adult™, but don’t take that as some sign that I’m ready to run for office. I had to look up who the Secretary of my Department is, just so I could say I know if I’m challenged.

"So we were amused, even if you’re not."

Anyway, I bought West Wing for Duckie as an anniversary present, never really intending to watch it. Through puppy dog eyes and bribes of cleaning the toilets he got me to watch the pilot episode, and then I was hooked. Hooked to the point where it’s hard to say who’s the bigger fan, me or him. And if you don’t watch it, you really should check it out on DVD, because it’s really worth while. Tight writing, great characters, and some episodes that have stuck with me for ages (like “In Excelsis Deo.” West Wing fans, you know which one that is.)

So what’s the point of this West Wing propaganda? One thing Duckie and I discovered was it is impossible for us now to watch a White House movie and not compare it to West Wing. Especially Dave, because other members of the staff besides the President and the First Lady are prominent characters. It’s hard not to say “that would be Toby, that would be Leo, that would be Mrs. Landanham…” (And yes, I do recognize the sadness and irony that we were filling those spots with fictional characters instead of the real people.) The sets are completely different too (I’ve been told the sets for the West Wing are much more realistic), and to top it all off, even one of the actresses is the same! Anna Deavere Smith plays the hippie-ish homeless shelter director in Dave, and the kick-ass National Security Advisor Nancy McNally on West Wing. So we were amused, even if you’re not.

Dave has the advantage of having Kevin Kline in the lead role (and supporting role!). I’m a Kevin Kline fan myself. He usually comes off as kind of quirky but rather sweet, and while not being a sex god, he’s still pretty easy on the eyes. I’m not as fond of Sigourney Weaver in this (her hair cut is awful and I think I’m not that crazy about her character), but she does a good job, I guess. (Duckie said so, anyway.) Add in the recognizable faces of Ben Kingsley and Laura Linney, and it’s at least amusing in that regard.

Anyway, the obligatory plot summary, especially since this movie is over ten years old. The President of the United States, a rather repugnant man who embezzles and cheats on his wife, has a stroke and drops into a coma from which he will never recover. Now, any normal person would say “So they call the Vice President, right?” But see, the Chief of Staff Bob Alexander and his minion Communications Director Alan Reed want nothing to do with pesky things like laws and Constitutions. So instead of immediately notifying the Vice President, they decide to have this doppleganger stand in for the President, and manipulate him as they see fit. Dave Kovic is a nice guy from a small town who runs a temp agency and isn’t too comfortable with this new life. Of course, he’s required to cut vital funding for homeless shelters, ignore the First Lady, and cancel kitchen scraps for lepers and orphans as he calls off Christmas. Okay, so maybe I got a little carried away, but still. And of course, the idealistic Dave can’t take this lying down, so when the Chief of Staff makes the off-the-cuff bargain that if Dave can slash a certain amount from the budget he can have his homeless shelters, Dave manages to bring in his accountant best friend and do it, in terms so simplistic that any West Wing watcher starts giggling.

Of course, I do have to wonder about some other things in it. Aside from the leisurely schedule this President seems to have, I find the First Lady eventually falling for Dave kind of bizarre. I mean, talk about some issues, falling for a guy that looks exactly like your husband but is totally different, y’know? Freud would have a field day, I’m sure. In fact, it really kind of squicks me, and I could have really really done without the romantic subplot. But isn’t that the case in about 80% or more of comedies? Really?

Now, for all that I’m mocking Dave, it was a good movie. It was fun, it was sweet, and it was entertaining. Sure, it’s not cinematic brilliance, but it makes a nice change from the stale romantic comedy or angst-ridden drama. It was a nice Friday night movie for after a long week at work. It’s a nice change to see a comedy that doesn’t rely on sex, and I really appreciated a lot of the wit. The acting was good, I laughed a lot, and if I hadn’t taken to watching a political drama, I probably would have only wondered about not calling in the Vice President when the President was down for the count. (Because come on, even I knew that.) Dave does require some suspension of disbelief, but hey, it’s a small price to pay for this one. Rent it and enjoy!

I can see my house from here... cause I'm in my house right here! "Now, gentlemen, back to the Secret Government Eggo Project talks." Why... why would someone put three packets of mustard in my undershorts? It makes no sense!

Didja Notice? [some sources: IMDb]

• Kevin Kline’s character Dave looks JUST like the guy playing the President! How’d they do that?
• When Dave explains the President’s hand gestures, he points out the President has one hand in his pocket during a press conference, and Dave puts both hands on the podium when he announces his economic plan.
• Cameos upon cameos!
• President Mitchell wears glasses. Dave doesn’t. Kind of like Superman and Clark Kent.
• In one of the press conferences, there's a Clamp Cable Network camera from Gremlins 2: The New Batch

Is It Worth Staying Through End Credits?

Nah.

Unnecessary Background on the 25th Amendment

Passed by Congress in 1967, the 25th Amendment to the Constitution states, among other things, that in case of the removal of the President from office or of his death or resignation, the Vice President shall become President.

Intermission! [some sources: IMDb]

The president's full name in the movie is William Harrison Mitchell; William Henry Harrison was a real president elected in 1840 and the first president to die in office. The vice president in the movie is named Nance; John Nance Garner was Franklin D. Roosevelt's vice president for two terms, and once derided the job as not being "worth a pitcher of warm spit". Lovely image, huh?

Wow. I had no idea this was actually nominated for an Oscar for the writing. Cool.

This also had a Tomatometer rating of 97%. (I promise - no graphs this time. I know how dangerous it is when I go over to rottentomatoes.com) But I honestly had forgotten that this movie was so highly regarded.

Groovy Quotes

Bob Alexander: I'm going to kill him.
Alan Reed: You can't kill a President.
Bob Alexander: He's not a President. He's an ordinary person. I can kill an ordinary person.
Alan Reed: Bob!
Bob Alexander: I can kill a hundred ordinary people!

Dave: According to the OMB, we have seventeen defense contractors who are delinquent in their contracts. Is this true, Frank?
Director of OMB: Uh, I believe so, yes.
Dave: So, even though they're late, we keep paying them on time?
Director of OMB: Well, in a sense... yeah.

President William H. Mitchell: [meeting Dave for the first time] You're a handsome man.
Dave Kovic: Thank you, Mr. President.
President William H. Mitchell: Just get rid of the grin... you look like a schmuck.

Dave: I run a temp agency. You know, secretaries and stuff.
Ellen Mitchell: So you find people jobs.
Dave: Yes.
[Ellen chuckles]
Dave: What? What's so funny?
Ellen Mitchell: It's just, it's more than most people do around here.

If you liked this movie, try these:

• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
• Welcome to Mooseport
• The American President