Swing Vote is an extraordinary film that tells the story of Bud, a lazy individual whose politically knowledgeable daughter Molly is his only valuable asset. On election day, Bud fails to meet Molly at the polling place, prompting her to take matters into her own hands and attempt to cast a vote. However, her plans are thwarted by an unexpected power outage. The plot takes an intriguing turn when it’s revealed that the presidential election hangs in the balance due to a tied vote in New Mexico – with Bud’s missing vote being crucial. This sets off a frenzy as both presidential candidates and news media outlets from all over the United States descend upon the small town of Texaco, vying for Bud’s influential vote while documenting every moment on film.
In the movie, Swing Vote, the process of politics is depicted through the presidential propositions and positions. Initially, the candidates held their own stances and motivations on specific matters. However, when they realized that the outcome of the election hinged on the vote of a single individual, they started altering their proposals to align with his wishes. This illustrates how politicians sometimes adopt certain positions merely to secure votes. Surprisingly, Swing Vote manages to combine humor and drama while effectively portraying significant and realistic political aspects.
“Swing Vote” emphasized the significance of voting and the crucial impact of every individual vote. Molly highlighted the historical pattern of civilizations transitioning from oppression to freedom, from prosperity to apathy, and ultimately back to oppression. To avoid repeating this cycle, it is essential to break free from complacency and ensure that voting remains a priority. As American citizens, voting is not just a choice but a responsibility.
The significance of voting in America is of utmost importance, and the film Swing Vote effectively illustrates this concept. I thoroughly enjoyed watching it as it evoked laughter, tears, and provided me with a unique political perspective. Although Hollywood may have exaggerated certain aspects, it is the underlying message of the story that intrigues me. According to Joshua Starnes, Swing Vote has moments of brilliance, particularly with regards to grammar or Hopper, but it attempts to tackle too many ideas, resulting in a shallow outcome. While I agree that there may have been an excessive number of ideas presented, I disagree overall because I believe the film successfully brings humor into politics while offering valuable new political insights. Some questions raised by the movie include: Should voting be mandatory and why? What impact do swing voters have?
