On DVD (1972). Rated PG, 109 minutes. Trailer.
The Candidate plays out like every liberal actors dream: a handsome, wealthy liberal is toiling away at a legal aid clinic when he is approached to run for US Senate against the incumbent, an older white man that dares give a speech emphasizing personal responsibility. Robert Redford stars in this "dream scenario" as the golden haired son of an ex-governor that only wants to run if he can say the things he wants to say in his own way. Peter Boyle is the wily political operative that convinces Redford to run and then masterminds the campaign. Click below for more.
The film opens with the concession speech of the last guy they convinced to run, and tracks the year of Redford's candidacy, ending on his election night. Parts of it are very funny and well done, in particular the coterie of political advisors. The script captures the cynicism and fatalistic nature of those who are veterans of political campaigns. The scenes with them are funny and effective. Where the film jumps the track is when it tries to get serious, especially with Redford's preaching. If the liberal points were just part of his character and didn't bleed into the point of view of the film, they would work. Here they are central to the theme of the film, and the director and screenwriter are audacious enough to presume anyone watching their film couldn't contemplate anyone actually voting for a Republican incumbent.
The funny thing about the film is that it exposes the immaturity and naivete inherent in most liberal positions. For instance, Redford is a big environmentalist, preaching that roads and houses are being built to quickly and are ruining the environment, a classic liberal position. Problem is, as a conservative, I totally agree with that position, except that the world isn't a perfect place and you have to have those things in order to keep the economy going, honoring property rights, and allowing for housing that is affordable.
Anyway, I am a political guy, and this one didn't do it for me.
Saturday, March 8, 2008
The Candidate - B-
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1 comment:
I completely agree. The movie is almost an excuse for Redford to spout his political opinions. The one that stuck with me was his stance on abortion since it was very close in time to the Roe v. Wade decision. He never really lost himself in the character.
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