I think the challenge the film and the novel took on is how to make Tracy not the obvious hero of the story - there are no good people or winners in Tom Perrotta novels afaict - despite all of the traditionally unassailable attributes of the responsible, hard working underdog accruing in her favor. IMHO they pulled it off by making her as narcissistic and unabashedly ambitious as Jim is needy and feckless.
― El Tomboto, Monday, 19 February 2018 18:19 (six years ago) link
I think Senator Flick would be Nebraska's own Susan Collins fwiw
― El Tomboto, Monday, 19 February 2018 18:22 (six years ago) link
always lol at "then we'd go to my house to fuck and have a hot tub"
― flappy bird, Monday, 19 February 2018 18:22 (six years ago) link
I graduated from high school the year Election was released and, at the time, Tracy reminded me of one of my classmates. There was an incident where, related to an extracurricular group I was involved in, the teacher running it got angry at her lack of attention and snapped, "If you were actually interested in this instead of having to be in every group and making it about you, you'd pay attention!" and she was in tears. I only heard about it when she showed up to the next class and couldn't regain her composure.
I mean, in retrospect, he wasn't wrong, but it wasn't something to snap at a kid about. At the time, I definitely didn't see that.
― mh, Monday, 19 February 2018 18:24 (six years ago) link
NB, I ran for student prez on Tammy's platform (dissolve the SGA) as a junior in college, one year before this movie came out, and even got a referendum on the ballot to that effect (we only got something like 47% of the vote for the referendum so it didn't even get put before the senate). All the kids I ran against were variations on Paul and Tracy.
― El Tomboto, Monday, 19 February 2018 18:29 (six years ago) link
Election is like bueller in that ppl always inform you that you shouldn't sympathise with Matthew Broderick like they're imparting the secret of the fucking universe when it's like no duhTracy is obv way more compelling but being asked to find her inspirational reminds me a bit of the "hire more women guards" gag
― scotti pruitti (wins), Monday, 19 February 2018 18:33 (six years ago) link
well yeah exactly. i said that she's HRC
― flappy bird, Monday, 19 February 2018 18:44 (six years ago) link
She's not compelling at all rly
― rum dmc (darraghmac), Monday, 19 February 2018 18:46 (six years ago) link
Election is like bueller in that ppl always inform you that you shouldn't sympathise with Matthew Broderick like they're imparting the secret of the fucking universe when it's like no duh
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!), Monday, 19 February 2018 19:01 (six years ago) link
Ferris is an entitled little shit, yes, but if you take Roger Ebert's reading of the film--that his motivation for the day off was help his friend gain some self-respect--he becomes a lot more bearable.
― Dangleballs and the Ballerina (cryptosicko), Monday, 19 February 2018 19:06 (six years ago) link
I thought netflix’s American Vandal had a character that was pretty reminiscent of Dave, although younger
― mh, Monday, 19 February 2018 19:12 (six years ago) link
That is a misreading xp
― rum dmc (darraghmac), Monday, 19 February 2018 19:12 (six years ago) link
How so?
― Dangleballs and the Ballerina (cryptosicko), Monday, 19 February 2018 19:15 (six years ago) link
Because that is not his motivation
― rum dmc (darraghmac), Monday, 19 February 2018 19:20 (six years ago) link
― Guayaquil (eephus!),
and still do.
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 19 February 2018 19:21 (six years ago) link
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
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Monday, 19 February 2018 19:37 (six years ago) link
Tammy is the hero, duh.
― Mr. Snrub, Monday, 19 February 2018 21:01 (six years ago) link
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
― mh, Monday, 19 February 2018 21:42 (six years ago) link
Tammy isn't a hero she's the easy popularity of the opt out slacker
― DUMPKINS! (darraghmac), Monday, 19 February 2018 22:14 (six years ago) link
she gets the girl, though
― mh, Monday, 19 February 2018 22:35 (six years ago) link
90s chicks loved opt-out slackers
― DUMPKINS! (darraghmac), Monday, 19 February 2018 22:52 (six years ago) link
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?
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?
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 18 May 2022 22:17 (one year ago) link
Would have thought she'd end up at Fox.
― clemenza, Wednesday, 18 May 2022 22:34 (one year ago) link
...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
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 18 May 2022 23:18 (one year ago) link
https://theplaylist.net/tracy-flick-cant-win-an-election-sequel-is-in-the-works-at-paramount-with-reese-witherspoon-director-alexander-payne-returning-20221208/
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Friday, 9 December 2022 02:01 (one year ago) link
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.
― Guayaquil (eephus!), Friday, 9 December 2022 02:19 (one year ago) link
(checks Alexander Payne filmography, confirms suspicion that Alexander Payne peaked with Election 23 years ago) Yeah, I don't think I need this.
― Beautiful Bean Footage Fetishist (Old Lunch), Friday, 9 December 2022 03:20 (one year ago) link
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).
― clemenza, Friday, 9 December 2022 03:50 (one year ago) link
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
― piscesx, Friday, 9 December 2022 04:02 (one year ago) link