Election (1999)

I took a lot of shit for pointing out that Beuller's basically an unsympathetic exploitative asshole embodying Reagan-era rich-white-selfishness... but what do I know

Okay, yeah...it wasn't even a proper Bueller thread, though, was it? I'm thinking that it was one of those Apatow throwdowns or something.

Some of the scenes between him and Cameron always struck me weirdly poignant though...there is all kinds of crazy manipulative, but at the same time, knowingly manipulative shit going on there, which always fucks me up.

One of my excuses for enjoying Sideways is my love for the Ned and Stacey dude.

blueski pretty much Otm.

Though I might downgrade About Schmidt a notch...is one of the only reasons that people latched onto that film b/c Nicholson was playing against type/his persona? Because, if so, I think that was dealt with more gracefully and subtly in Something's Gotta Give.

i remember enjoying About Schmidt but it left very little impression on me. It seems to be HATED by some people though. I should watch it again.

yeah i don't get the hate, maybe it was too plodding...LIKE AN OLD MAN.

lol at actually taking Ferris Bueller seriously as a character study.

I dunno; personally, I don't think it's so crazy to read it as being a sad Reagan years update on The Wild One or Rebel...

It seems to be HATED by some people though.

Speaking for myself, I felt this way probably as a reaction to the over-praising it got from critics. I went in expecting something extraordinary. What I got was merely charming and pleasant.

is one of the only reasons that people latched onto that film b/c Nicholson was playing against type/his persona?

One of the reasons I hated that film is that I could detect Nicholson's congratulating himself at playing against type. Plus, the emotions at the end aren't earned when most of the film is about pratfalls, caricatures, and other cheap jokes.

LIKE AN OLD MAN

Yeah, but one thing I remember from watching it is that it seemed like he was playing his version of a caricature of an old man...as great as an actor as he is, I think that his personal eternally arrested adolescent lifestyle led to it being too much of a stretch to take plausibly.

Again, I think Something's Gotta Give took a more honest take on that whole territory, at least as far as Nicholson's performance is concerned.

btw Nicholson HATED Ferris Bueller -- "are these kids trying to put me out of business?" or something.

Really? Wow...

One of my excuses for enjoying Sideways is my love for the Ned and Stacey dude.

haha otm."you wrong biscuit buying slut!!!"

yeah, that show ruled!

Nicholson begrudging Bueller just seems weird, though; there are any number of his performances that one could point to which are filled with such nuance and depth that they put F.B. to shame. It goes without saying that there are no Five Easy Pieces or Carnal Knowledges or what have you in John Hughes' resume.

Yeah, but the audience at whom FB is aimed is expected to applaud FB for his embrace of Reagan-esque values.

sideways is some bullshit.

xpost

Seriously? I thought it was just aimed at a generic, politically-unaligned teen audience. I guess I'm not sure what you're saying.

I took a lot of shit for pointing out that Beuller's basically an unsympathetic exploitative asshole embodying Reagan-era rich-white-selfishness... but what do I know

-- Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, February 7, 2008 12:10 AM (31 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

so basically he's a teenager

slocki, what didn't you like about Sideways? I'm just curious, b/c I remember all the hype when it came out, but never saw it until last year, under sorta weird circumstances of watching it with family members on cable...so maybe I was partly just grateful for the opportunity of pleasant distraction, and turned whatever critical part of my brain off for the time being.

so basically he's a teenager

Point conceded, partially...but there is a weird aspect to that film in that it does exalt as a hero someone who seems to exhibit a slew of borderline-sociopathic qualities, or at least a ready willingness to exploit the shit out of others with only a modicum of conscience present to keep his charisma in check. One could imagine his character growing up to be a cult leader...or powerful politician?

or Ivan Boesky.

or John DeLorean.

I couldn't stand this movie when it came out. I wonder if I'd like it any better now.

Election = About Schmidt (I am a sap) >> Sideways

election equals about schmidt?

like I said, I like sappy movies.

This movie is amazing, and heart-wrenching in a way that About Schmidt doesn't touch -- because rather than ending on a now-typical "meaningful" fadeout it makes you stare hard at the fact that, in real life, people's lives continue long after the story you're telling about them is over. Shorter version: I also like when he throws the Coke at the car.

One of my three favorite movies ever.

Shorter version: I also like when he throws the Coke at the car.

Yeah, I really need to watch this film again before too long. That scene in particular pretty much blows away anything in American Beauty, or any other film that one might be tempted to compare with Election.

him pitching his drink uselessly against the back of the car is possibly one of the most poignant and awesome things ever captured in a motion picture not based on a true story

I think we can all agree that election is way better than American fucking Beauty.

Tombot's post, by virtue of its pithy eloquence has left me speechless. Shit.

The weird thing is, as much as I love this movie, I only saw it the one time, when it came out in theaters. I'm worried that if I see it again I'll pollute the near-perfection of this experience.

Up until the Margo Martindale segment of Paris je t'aime, Election was the only thing preventing me from really strongly disliking Payne. (Citizen Ruth's alright, but mostly because of Dern.)

But Election, which is awesome (i.e. kid in wheelchair running unopposed for student body vice-president), was enough.

xpost

Nah, I've seen it at least a couple of times and I'm inclined to think that a second viewing would be alright.

I remember thinking this was misogynistic when I saw it but I was only a couple years out of my New Moon magazine subscription back then, think I ought to reexamine it with eyes that have an eighth grade diploma under their belt

i remember being torn between intense loathing for reese witherspoon's character and considerable lust for ms witherspoon herself

harmonious and productive

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/advertisers/slate/house/jan/120x240v2TracyFlick.jpg

http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-adv/advertisers/slate/house/jan/120x240v2TracyFlick.jpg

I took a lot of shit for pointing out that Beuller's basically an unsympathetic exploitative asshole embodying Reagan-era rich-white-selfishness... but what do I know

no i think that's a good point. but that's why he was a hero to us white suburban kids. he showed that you can get away with anything if you're rich white kids. which was inspiring even if you weren't rich. it really is a sort of recruiting poster for the lifestyle. john hughes knew his audience.

(which is why we still love him. he was there for us man.)

man I just think y'all might be politicizing ferris a bit much. sure, he's obv white and from an affluent suburb, but he's just a glib, rambunctious 17 year old. Would he be more sympathetic if he'd skipped school to huff rubber cement in his step-dad's double-wide?

i loved this movie a lot when it came out, but sideways was so awful that it's kind of tainted everything Payne's done in retrospect for me.

i liked sideways actually. i mean, the yuppie wine shit was zzzzzzzzzz but i thought it was funny.

when david brooks or somebody wrote a column last year about whatever happened to middlebrow culture, sideways was the first thing i thought of. it's ironic middlebrow, but it's still sort of proudly middlebrow. which i think is fine, middlebrow culture deserves some respect. but i think that's payne's whole orientation.

(even election is sort of a middlebrow tragedy. poor shlub realizes how world works.)

fair enough. what is high brow these days though?

I recently rewatched Election, and I think it's a well made but also quite a confusing film. Like, it doesn't really seem to know what it's trying to say: it makes fun of Witherspoon's character for being a political go-getter, but on the other hand it also presents Broderick's character as a pathetic loser. So if it's supposed to be a satire it's sort of lacking an edge, unless the only point is that everyone sucks. Also, there's a weird misogynic vibe going on in the film (especially regarding Witherspoon, but also Broderick's love affair), and I'm not sure whether it's supposed to reflect the attitude of Broderick's character or the attitude of the director.

alfred i think it's perfectly legitimate to look at what's communicated by particular characters in particular movies - just because you think it's beneath you doesn't mean it isn't interesting for other people

i love this film. It's such a quiet little gem that doesn't cause a fuss and doesn't expect anything from itself or the viewer, but manages to keep me captivated througout.

still not as good as Wargames though which is arguably my favourite Brod movie

You can make fun of the Tracy Flick's of this world as much as you like - the're still going to 'win'.

I wondered for a long time if we would ever get a female Ferris Bueller onscreen. I suppose Juno comes closest, except she's possibly even more cynical, less enthused and go-getty.

Because that is not his motivation

As a person who was a kid when Ferris Beuller came out and saw it in theaters, let me assure you that millions of people around the world need to have it explained to them why you shouldn't sympathize with Matthew Broderick, and I was one of them

― Guayaquil (eephus!),

and still do.

Because that is not his motivation

Not only is it not his motivation, it's exactly the story Bueller tells himself about himself in order to avoid having to understand and accept who he really is

Tammy is the hero, duh.

Ferris Bueller is about wish fulfillment for teens, thinking you can break the rules and do magic and be celebrated for it

Election is not quite the opposite, but it does make you wonder why people think their actions are ever truly in the service of their goals

Tammy isn't a hero she's the easy popularity of the opt out slacker

she gets the girl, though

90s chicks loved opt-out slackers

New Sequel Novel: https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/Tracy-Flick-Cant-Win/Tom-Perrotta/9781501144066?

Tracy Flick is a hardworking assistant principal at a public high school in suburban New Jersey. Still ambitious but feeling a little stuck and underappreciated in midlife, Tracy gets a jolt of good news when the longtime principal, Jack Weede, abruptly announces his retirement, creating a rare opportunity for Tracy to ascend to the top job.

Energized by the prospect of her long-overdue promotion, Tracy throws herself into her work with renewed zeal, determined to prove her worth to the students, faculty, and School Board, while also managing her personal life—a ten-year-old daughter, a needy doctor boyfriend, and a burgeoning meditation practice. But nothing ever comes easily to Tracy Flick, no matter how diligent or qualified she happens to be.

Among her many other responsibilities, Tracy is enlisted to serve on the Selection Committee for the brand-new Green Meadow High School Hall of Fame. Her male colleagues’ determination to honor Vito Falcone—a star quarterback of dubious character who had a brief, undistinguished career in the NFL—triggers bad memories for Tracy, and leads her to troubling reflections about the trajectory of her own life and the forces that have left her feeling thwarted and disappointed, unable to fulfill her true potential.

As she broods on the past, Tracy becomes aware of storm clouds brewing in the present. Is she really a shoo-in for the Principal job? Is the Superintendent plotting against her? Why is the School Board President’s wife trying so hard to be her friend? And why can’t she ever get what she deserves?

Would have thought she'd end up at Fox.

...or married to Ted Cruz

https://thumbnails.texastribune.org/jacMx0hZvy7S7E0Ul9HikzknMnM=/850x570/smart/filters:quality(75)/https://static.texastribune.org/media/images/2016/02/26/Heidi-5.jpg

https://theplaylist.net/tracy-flick-cant-win-an-election-sequel-is-in-the-works-at-paramount-with-reese-witherspoon-director-alexander-payne-returning-20221208/

I felt this movie was pretty perfect and felt quietly happy that the book sequel didn't make much of a splash but, well, I guess there's gonna be another movie. With Payne and Witherspoon involved I guess it's likely to be as good as it can be, but -- I sort of don't want it.

(checks Alexander Payne filmography, confirms suspicion that Alexander Payne peaked with Election 23 years ago) Yeah, I don't think I need this.

I've liked a couple of Payne films since then, but an Election sequel seems quite unnecessary (and will interfere with the fun of trying to imagine where Tracy ended up).

Y’all seen this? It’s pretty obscure and was allegedly discovered at a flea market in 2011. Even the Criterion didn’t have it..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhezOPupmj4