Watchable, well acted satirical drama that starts well but quickly loses its bite and tails off into sentimentality and a cop-out ending.
Comment
09/26/08
Swing Vote (2008)
37
%
Tomatometer
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Reviews Counted:141
Fresh:52
Rotten:89
Average Rating:5/10
Consensus: Despite Kevin Costner providing his most charismatic performance in years, Swing Vote fails to find the right mix of political satire and heartfelt drama.
Theatrical Release:26-09-2008
Synopsis: Writer/director Joshua Michael Stern (NEVERWAS) tackles American politics in his second feature film. Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner) is just your below-average Joe. He works in an egg factory, likes... [More]
Starring: Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper
Director: Joshua Michael Stern
Reviews for Swing Vote
The film varies between ironic cynicism about the political process and overt whimsy and sentimentality.
09/26/08
What starts out as a hokey satire on electioneering and spin becomes a hokey lesson on civic responsibility, with a catch in the throat and a tear in the eye. Try to suppress the curl in your lip.
09/26/08
Hayseed nonsense, folksily scripted. Whenever it becomes too much – or too little – close your eyes and think of Frank Capra.
09/26/08
While not without its charms, and aiming a well-placed dig at American voter apathy, the jokes don’t work, Costner looks hungover for real and the corn count is way, way too high, particularly during Bud’s big speech at the end.
09/26/08
Election-year pertinence turns to mush in a winsome feel-gooder that wastes no time ramming its wholesome message down our throats. Oh, and did we mention that Kev gets to sing with his band Modern West? What a load of ballots…
09/26/08
The cynical vote-chasing ploys of the political machines are cheekily spoofed....and then the grand conceit is deserted and the whole caboodle slides into a tacky vat of sentimental, flag-waving gloop.
09/26/08
Swing Vote is a benign but telling satire.
09/26/08
Top CriticBut away from the cutesy stuff there are some surprisingly sharp digs at the political process.
09/26/08
Top CriticIt’s like a party political broadcast brought to you by the Idiot Party.
09/26/08
Top CriticJolly enough but far, far too nice. A satire with no bite that seems much more like a chance to preach at an apathetic electorate.
09/26/08
Top CriticHe shoots simultaneously for ‘wake up, America!’ inspiration and good ol’ boy charm but ends up putting both barrels through his own cowboy-booted foot.
09/26/08
Top CriticThis light satire is unlikely to influence the forthcoming election, but Costner’s in fine fettle.
09/26/08
Top CriticAbsurdity's a crucial trait of Costner films (The Postman? Message In A Bottle?), so hold the exasperated sigh.
09/25/08
Part folksy, Southern comedy, part Deeds-ian, pre-US election, political conscience movie, part generation-gap tear-jerker and all baloney.
09/25/08
Top CriticThis film packed with political cliches is unlikely to make a difference to American political culture or its distributor's bottom line, despite a dependable cast of stars including Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer, and Dennis Hopper.
07/30/08
Swing Vote seems to be suggesting that the voter deserves a better class of candidate; allow me to suggest that the viewer deserves a better class of film.
08/30/09
...a thoroughly affable piece of work that makes up in easy-going entertainment what it lacks in plausibility.
06/18/09
It's a predictable, feel-good fantasy in the mould of a political satire and the result is a good one.
03/05/09
Click to read the article
02/27/09
Latest News for Swing Vote
January 13, 2009:
With Costner's yokel having a decided preference for being handed a beer rather than a ballot, he does a pretty darn good job of exposing the phony platitudes and pandering of candidates, in a movie about bad news politicians and even badder parenting. 
More...
January 09, 2009:
With Costner's yokel having a decided preference for being handed a beer rather than a ballot, he does a pretty darn good job of exposing the phony platitudes and pandering of candidates, in a movie about bad news politicians and even badder parenting.
More...
August 18, 2008:
Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer Sued for Cribbing Swing Vote Script
Former Bush assistant and political pundit Bradley A. Blakeman claims the political comedy, in theaters now, was lifted from a script he spent eight years writing. More...
August 03, 2008:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Bat Still Going Strong, Three Weeks In
The Dark Knight won't losen its grip on the box office gold, but the Mummy is a very close silver. More...
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