Man of the Year (2006)

Director:

Barry Levinson

Writer (WGA):

Barry Levinson (written by)

Release Date:

13 October 2006 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

Could this man be our next president?

Plot:

A comedian who hosts a news satire program decides to run for president, and a computerized voting machine malfunction gets him elected.

Plot Keywords:

U.S. President | Conspiracy Theory | Satire | Electoral | Political

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Tom Dobbs
Christopher Walken	...	Jack Menken
Laura Linney	...	Eleanor Green
Lewis Black	...	Eddie Langston
Jeff Goldblum	...	Stewart
David Alpay	...	Danny
Faith Daniels	...	Moderator
Tina Fey	...	Herself
Amy Poehler	...	Herself
Doug Murray	...	Mathias
Chris Matthews	...	News Anchor #1
James Carville	...	Political Commentator #1
Cathleen Crier	...	Political Commentator #2
Rick Roberts	...	Hemmings
Karen Hines	...	Alison McAndrews

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language including some crude sexual references, drug related material, and brief violence.

Runtime:

115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Finland:K-11 | South Korea:12 | Singapore:PG | Canada:PG | Australia:M | New Zealand:M | Canada:G (Quebec) | Argentina:13 | Portugal:M/12 | USA:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

In one scene, Robin Williams says something to the effect of going on a date with "Rachel Tensions." "Rachel Tensions" was the role RuPaul had in To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar (1995). Robin Williams played "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt" in the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: In the movie, Delacroy wins the national contract to supply all voting machines for the upcoming election. This would be impossible, as all conditions for national elections are determined by each state, and not on a national level.

Quotes:

Tom Dobbs: NASA spent 30 Million dollars creating the pen that would write upside down in space. Did you know that? The Russians, how ever, were able to solve this problem with
[imitating]
Tom Dobbs: Five cent pencil! Writes right side up, writes up-side down. After five quarts of vodka, is still writing!

Movie Connections:

References "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (1992)

Soundtrack:

Black Horse And The Cherry Tree

Funny in parts, but flawed

(contains spoilers) Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams) is a television talk show host gone political candidate; a Jon Stewart type that takes the plunge into contributing rather than heckling. This part of the movie works. Dobbs is credible, serious, and uses humor not for substance but to mock the ridiculous nature of the current lobby-ridden two party system. The political solutions offered by Dobbs are the standard third party 'common sense, but not too deep' solutions. Tom Dobbs wins and becomes the President Elect.

But the movie is flawed with the 'other half'. Laura Linney portrays a computer programmer who discovers an error in the new, nationwide electronic voting system - one that caused Dobbs to win. She reports the error to her CEO ...who torpedoes her email, and then sets her up as a drug abusing burnout who may have caused the problem herself. Linney flies to Washington to inform Dobbs that the election was a sham - but them doesn't tell him.

That's right, a sharp left turn away from suspension of disbelief and straight on to 'beg pardon? why?' It's clear that Linney's character understands that she MUST tell the truth, but for reasons we can only speculate, the writer chose to waste thirty minutes of screen time as she develops an emotional bond with Dobbs before telling him.

The movie would have been much better had Linney's character revealed the problem right away, and then collectively the 'good people' spent their time solving the problem. Instead, the 'good people' spend their time doubting each other (while we are left to doubt the script writer).

It's still enjoyable in parts, but maybe wait until DVD so you can skip the second act.