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Kevin Costner, Madeline Carroll, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper ... see more see more... , Nathan Lane , Stanley Tucci , George Lopez , Judge Reinhold , Charles Esten , Richard Petty , Willie Nelson , Mare Winningham , Mark Moses , Nana Visitor , Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman , Shawn Prince , Dale O'Malley , Mary Sue Evans , Gary Farmer , Adam Taylor Gordon , Bruce McIntosh , Tom Romero , Tony Blankley , Aaron Brown , Campbell Brown , Tucker Carlson , James Carville , Matt Frei , Mary Hart , Arianna Huffington , Larry King , Anne Kornblut , Bill Maher , Chris Matthews , Lawrence O'Donnell Jr. , Forrest Fyre , Ivan Brutsche , Sheila Ivy Traister , Jeremy Jojola , Suzanne Michaels , Cynthia Ruffin , Jason Henning , Les Shapiro , Cynthia Strauss , Chance Romero , Charles Michael Moore , Colin Jones , Trista Callander , Richard M. Dereyes , Shauna Clark , Debra-Jayne Brown , Price Hall , Olajida Kashu , Jessica Morin , Tim Janis , Scott Meyer , Brent Lambert , Christopher Dempsey , David Meeker , Janeal Arison , Madelin Whelpley , Alyssa Gutierrez , David Midthunder , Taylor Warden , Angelo Martinez , Isaiah Bergert , Arron Shiver , Kate Shroeder , David Dalton , Heather Hitt , Pierre Barrera , Todd Lewis , Dan Gerrity , Cris Ornelas , Esodie Geiger , Constance Hsu , Katalina Parrish , Joshua Michael Stern , Tony Stern , Mara Holguin , John Coinman , Blair Forward , Terry Morgan , Larry Cobb , Charles Park Chisolm , Bobby Yang , Mark Thomason , Tim Carlson , Trine Christiansen , Marquelyn Carrillo , David Cowgill , Patrick Falls , Eileen Galindo , Bridget Hoffman , Luisa Leschin , Richard Miro , Bob Neill , Jonathan Nichols , Al Rodrigo , Laurie Petok

When the mischievous antics of a precocious 12-year-old girl result in the outcome of the United States presidential election hinging on the vote of her apathetic, likable loser of a father, the man w... read more read more...ho thought that life had long since passed him by is reluctantly thrust into the national spotlight in this political-themed comedy starring Kevin Costner. Bud Johnson (Costner) is your typical American -- a simple man and loving father who never would have thought he had the power to change the world. Though when election day finally arrives and Bud prepares to cast his ballot, his overachieving daughter Molly proves to be the catalyst for a stunning series of events that place the fate of the free world in the hands of a man more comfortable slinging cases of beer -- her father. The two candidates are portrayed by Dennis Hopper and Kelsey Grammer, with Nathan Lane and Stanley Tucci as their campaign managers. George Lopez also stars as a local TV-station manager who has to deal with the political factions as they set up camp in the small town. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Flixster Users

44% liked it

97,162 ratings

Critics

38% liked it

145 critics

PG-13, 1 hr. 59 min.

Directed by: Joshua Michael Stern

Release Date: May 20, 2008

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DVD Release Date: January 13, 2009

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Stats: 2,778 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (2,778)

  • rjayhutchinson
    July 30, 2010
    rjayhutchinson
    The only redeeming quality of this sad, sad excuse for film is the potential of the young Carroll, however poorly the laughably puerile script may have utilized her ability.
  • dreamfaeries
    May 5, 2010
    dreamfaeries
    Not as bad as most people make it out to be. Yeah, not the best movie around, but it did have its' funny and sweet moments.
  • cosmo313
    March 27, 2010
    cosmo313
    A funny farce that is also quite touching and very Capraesque. The central gimmick is not really possible (more than likely), but the film explains it in a way that almost makes it believable. The ending is not important. The journey matters more than the destination.

    The la... read morerge and notable cast (including numerous cameos) are terrific. Costener is great, but Madeiline Carroll gives the stand out performance. Do yourself a favor and see this funny and inspiring tale about personal responsibility, and why it matters to not be apathetic.
  • paulsandberg
    September 25, 2009
    paulsandberg
    In spite of a pretty darned good performance by Costner, the film is pretentious, overblown, unbelievable and just plain obvious.
    Problems: Costner's charactor the "average Joe" (not the plummer) - an alchololic slacker has a daughter that is consciencious, overly brite and more... read more mature than he is. Hmm, must be mom's genes? Nope, she leaves the family to persue a career as a country singer (so not a rocket scientist either).
    I simply did not feel it was possible for the daughter to be who she was with the kind of parenting she had.

    There are a few witty scenes lampooning the political process and how far we've all fallen in the media age (reminded me vaguely of "wag the dog"); where it becomes not about the issues but about who comes off better on tv.

    Kelsey Grammer does a good job as the reigning president, a baffoon on the surface, but revealing a deeper, weary of the games, side that is poignant.

    Dennis Hopper is wasted as the "opposition", and Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane have not much room to operate as the opposing campaign managers.

    That a couple of 12 year old kids can go driving around, even in a small town, is absurd - as is the entire premiss of the film.

    When the film does finally take a detour into the darkness of humanity; having the daughter arrive on Mom's doorstep, only to find out that she is a drug addict and doesn't want her around - it takes one riviting scene and then backs out of the situation completly once Costner shows up. Sad - but even with a few more well thought out scenes like that one, the film is still a mess - trying to thrust the local hispanic reporter into the mix as a potential buddy/love interest, like so much of the film, is simply misguided.
  • superclerk25
    July 19, 2009
    superclerk25
    As a fan of Kevin Costner I like to try and see all his movies. It took me a while to get to this one. It's a "never gonna happen in real life" plot but the acting and the simple story telling help make it a good watch.
    Costner plays the everyman who is thrust into a situation ... read morethat he can't handle without the help of his very smart daughter. We've seen this before and this movie doesn't try and change things up too much.
    There were a few regular story beats I was expecting for this type of movie and it hits most of them. The ones it doesn't aren't ground breaking and it feels as though it's missing some important scenes that could have made the story a little better.
    I do think it's funny that Willie Nelson gets a part of the top billing when we only see him in a commercial on a tv though. I wonder how much they had to pay him for that?
  • MidnightMadwoman
    April 3, 2009
    MidnightMadwoman
    I didn't think I was going to like this movie at all, but I really did. It's about an ignorant American schlubb (the exaggerated everyman) whose daughter is far quicker than he is. The trappings and pettiness of campaigning are also exaggerated here, with the Republican's scare t... read moreactics and cross-attack ads being the funniest. The thing I find most refreshing about this movie is that by the end, the filmmakers never pick a side. It ends at the beginning of the Bud-moderated presidential debates, which disappointed me a little bit, but I understand why they did that.
  • deano
    February 15, 2009
    deano
    In this comedy film feels like an antique. It's broad and easygoing, more in tune with Frank Capra's swoony Americana of decent souls fighting the glum machinations of the system. You also get unfashionable Kevin Costner as a slacker portraying the dumb lug in whose hands has lan... read moreded the fate of the Western World. Costner has a rare willingness to undo his good looks, and he's a charmingly uncouth stooge for the uptight politicos. The father-daughter relationship with newcomer Madeline Carroll, including a cameo from Mare Winningham as the pill-tilted mother, possesses a real-life poignancy. You believe these are real people.
  • flickfever
    August 16, 2008
    flickfever
    A better-than-expected political satire with true heart and genuine emotion attached.

    It's really great to see Kevin Costner acting in roles that don't require any sort of grandiose scope or reach. It's nice to see him playing an everyman in every sense of the word.

    In this o... read morene, he plays the drunken, party-boy-who-refused-to-grow-up part to the hilt. But he's got a daughter to worry about and he soon finds himself worrying about lots more things thanks to her and her mischief.

    The issues that this film brings up are really resonant in America and its methods of electing officials. The circus that surrounds an election has a way of swaying public opinion in ways that this film points out very clearly--and tries to address from the perspective of a single, loser-of-a-voter.

    Definitely check this out before the elections. Surely--and sadly-- not enough people will see it and it may even be out on DVD by then.
  • moonrivers
    August 4, 2008
    moonrivers
    every once and awhile someone tries to resurrect the type of film frank capra might have made, and here is one such effort. affable drunken loser costner is only held aloft in life by the efforts of his long suffering daughter, nicely played by newcomer madeline carroll. things... read more change though when this confirmed i-don't-care layabout becomes, in true capra style, the deciding vote a presidential election. at first played for laughs, the inevitable "message" plows homeward by closing time: if even our kids care about the well-being of this democratic society...what about you? well meaning to the extreme, and almost subtily played, you won't absolutely hate it.
  • fb796967648
    August 5, 2008
    fb796967648
    This one's a shocker - sweet, hopeful and truly funny. And featuring a great central performance from Costner. One of the great surprises of the summer.

View All Swing Vote Reviews

Critic Reviews

Tom Charity
October 18, 2008
Tom Charity, CNN.com

It's a sentiment Capra might well have echoed, though he would surely have punched up the gags while he was at it. Full Review

Richard Roeper
August 4, 2008
Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper

Not a bad movie, probably OK to rent on DVD, but I'm saying don't rush to the theaters.

Christopher Orr
August 2, 2008
Christopher Orr, New Republic

It is neither appreciably better nor dramatically worse than its hokey, please-describe-me-as-'Capraesque' premise. Full Review

Claudia Puig
August 1, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

One minute you're laughing at its sendup of the political process, and the next you're stricken by the sorry state of the sweet and brainy protagonist's family. Full Review

Manohla Dargis
August 1, 2008
Manohla Dargis, New York Times

One of the most surprising, politically suggestive movies to come out of Hollywood this year.

Linda Barnard
August 1, 2008
Linda Barnard, Toronto Star

As often happens with politics, even as Swing Vote entertains, it leaves us feeling like we've been subjected to some slick manipulation and worse, left with promises unfulfilled. Full Review

Mick LaSalle
August 1, 2008
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle

The mix of comedy and drama is winning; Costner couldn't be better, and the little girl is a find. Full Review

Stephanie Zacharek
August 1, 2008
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

Stern and his lead actor do manage to pull it all together at the end. Full Review

Roger Moore
August 1, 2008
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel

Swing Vote nicely boils down America's political malaise to one man's awakening from a Budweiser stupor and seeing the only thing that matters when you don't pay attention and exercise the franchise o... Full Review

Lou Lumenick
August 1, 2008
Lou Lumenick, New York Post

This would-be civics lesson is such an appalling view of American democracy that it could be used as a recruiting film by al Qaeda. Full Review

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