15 Election-Themed Films Worth Watching Instead of Real Election Results
Next Tuesday is Election Day and, if things go as expected, the start of Election Month. On both sides of the political divide, the rhetoric is fierce and anxiety is growing . This clutter forces people to rethink their plans to stay connected as results (or lack thereof) come in. Some may try turning off social media, going to bed early, or going into the woods . Personally, I’ll spend the day at the park with my kids (who don’t have school), then turn off all notifications and watch movies until I pass out (yes, I already voted). sure what I’ll watch – maybe a cozy screwball farce from the golden age of Hollywood , or something really long that will keep me distracted for at least three hours , or maybe something that’s playing 24/7 live on the Criterion Channel Channel — but if you want to celebrate the occasion without paying attention to it, there are also plenty of election-themed films. Reliving almost any of them would be more fun than Election Day itself.
Primary Colors (1998)
After the hell we’ve all endured since political discourse plummeted in 2016, it’s nice to look back a few decades and reflect on how quaint the politics of the ’90s seem in retrospect. Based on an “anonymous” novel , this film by Mike Nichols casts a thin veil of fiction on the sex scandals that marred Bill Clinton’s first presidential run. The stellar cast, led by a playful John Travolta and a touchingly touching Kathy Bates as a political adviser who trusts the wrong guy, brings to life a story of political mastery that would seem deeply cynical if things didn’t get so much worse later on.
Where to watch: digital rental.
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
There are two film adaptations of Richard Cordon’s 1959 political thriller to choose from: the 1962 version starring Angela Landsbury and Frank Sinatra, and the 2004 version starring Meryl Streep and Denzel Washington. Hardcore filmmakers will likely argue for the former, but the latter is also a thoroughly entertaining film. (Assuming you find horrific tales of foreign and/or corporate interference in politics, to the extremes of brainwashing and murder, interesting.) In any case, both culminate in an election day coup that, frankly, may seem like a common occurrence at this point. 2024.
Where to watch: The Roku Channel , Tubi , Pluto TV , digital rental.
Shampoo (1975)
I had no idea that Shampoo was a stealth election movie until I sat down to watch it before the last presidential election. On the surface, the story of Los Angeles barber/lothario George (played by Warren Beatty), who manipulates the many women in his life with all the skill of Jack Tripper in an unusually over-the-top episode of Three’s Company, has nothing to do with politics. But the absurd farce unfolds against the backdrop of the 1968 election, as the remarkable events of that day flash across television and overheard snippets of conversation. Whether George realizes it or not (he’s too busy chasing or hiding from Goldie Hawn, Julie Christie, and Carrie Fisher to notice), Nixon’s final victory marked a sea change in American culture and the death knell for the idealism and free love of the 1960s. years. This is a delightfully entertaining depressing film.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Election (1999)
Alexander Payne’s adaptation of Tom Perrotta’s satirical novel about a hotly contested election for a high school student council president succeeds because it examines a relatively meaningless subject – has the outcome of a school board election ever mattered to those who didn’t run? seriousness. Matthew Broderick plays a bumbling teacher whose internal resentment towards overambitious candidate Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) ends up being his undoing. In some ways, I get it—nobody wants the wrong person to win—but rigging an election is never the answer.
Where to watch: Paramount+ With Showtime , MGM+ , digital rental.
The Candidate (1972)
Fletch and Bad News Bears director Michael Ritchie also directed the lesser-known The Apprentice , a super ’70s political satire starring Robert Redford as Bill McKay, the son of a former Democratic governor of California who is handpicked by a political strategist to take part in elections. a seemingly unwinnable race against the incumbent Republican senator. Since no one expects him to win, McKay is given the freedom to say whatever he wants without taking into account the advice of political strategists. This turns out to be… unpopular, and since the Democrats don’t want to be completely destroyed, they end up advising McKay to make his message more palatable to the mainstream population. Unsurprisingly, given that he resembles Robert Redford, McKay becomes more popular the more gentle and centrist his speeches become. I would point out the parallels with 2024, but I’m too depressed and have a lot more movies to write.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Head of State (2003)
Chris Rock wrote and directed this 2003 comedy in which he plays “Everyman,” a failed low-level politician chosen by the embattled Democratic Party to run for president in hopes that his “authenticity” will appeal to voters. Initially inspired, Rock becomes increasingly cynical when he learns the real reason the party gave him a chance – they only hoped to pander to voters and build momentum for the next bypass – and decides to do something about it. The film then moves into the realm of pure fantasy, but it’s fun to dream.
Where to watch: Paramount+ With Showtime , digital rental
Swing Vote (2008)
Singing Vote , released eight years after George W. Bush first occupied the White House after winning (possibly; see “Recount” below) the swing state of Florida, is an absurd political fable based on an even more incredible premise: – due to a faulty voting machine, the entire presidential election is reduced to a single vote in one state. However, the voter (played by Kevin Coster) is an ill-informed jerk who only voted at all because his politically active young daughter forced him to only voice the movie’s message (“America is great because our votes give us all a voice!” “). harder to swallow.
Where to watch: Prime Video , The Roku Channel , digital rental.
Nashville (1975)
Arguably the best film in the late Robert Altman’s long filmography, “Nashville” is front and center as an expansive look at the intersecting lives of a huge cast of characters (there are 24 in the trailer above, a list of now-familiar names). ) on or on the periphery of the country music scene. But all of this takes place against the backdrop of a fictitious 1976 presidential election, which began with an independent candidate arriving in town for a political rally/concert. We follow about two dozen characters as they approach this crucial event, and the way it unfolds will remind you that five decades ago, politics was already pretty wild, intense, and unpredictable.
Where to watch: Digital purchase.
Tanner ’88 (1988)
Tanner ’88 , also directed by Robert Altman and written by Doonesbury creator Gary Trudeau, is actually a miniseries, but it’s fairly easy to film. Mixing fact and fiction, it combines the fictional candidacy of Democratic presidential candidate Jack Tanner with the real-life circumstances of the 1988 primaries, which ended with Michael Dukakis winning a spot on a particularly ill-fated party ticket. Cameras examine the campaign from every angle, from staff on the ground to the media to voters, highlighting the usual absurdities of American politics from inside and out. Cynthia Nixon appears in an early role as the idealistic young Tanner daughter, which she returned to decades later in the four-part sequel Tanner on Tanner .
Where to watch: Digital purchase.
Recount (2008)
Written by actor-turned-director Danny Strong (who had recurring roles on Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Gilmore Girls ), this 2008 HBO film enlists an impressive cast of talent (Kevin Spacey notwithstanding) to recreate the shock and suspense which flared up after neither George W. Bush nor Al Gore appeared to have definitively won the 2000 presidential election. The story begins on Election Day and… You know what, never mind. Don’t watch this.
Where to watch: Max , digital rental
Game Changer (2012)
If you want to relive recent election history, try Game Change (from the same writer/director team behind Recount ). It reveals the drama of Barack Obama’s decisive 2008 White House campaign, but focuses less on the charismatic Illinois senator (who appears only in actual archival footage) and more on upstart Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin ( Julianne Moore). It’s funny to look back and think how wild and unprecedented this race seemed at the time – and how bizarre it looks now to our tired eyes.
Where to watch: Max , digital rental
Man of the Year (2006)
In truth, this satirical late-career box office disappointment from Robin Williams and director Barry Levinson isn’t as smart or funny as it sounds (Levinson’s Wag the Dog is a much better film, but it’s too dark and cynical to watch in the 2024 election ). . But the plot does revolve around a plucky political commentator turned viable candidate who essentially comes away from winning the election after learning that he benefited from a voting machine glitch, so by modern standards it’s essentially a fairy tale.
Where to watch: Peacock , Pluto TV , digital rental.
Front Runner (2018)
This little-known 2018 political biopic from co-writer and director Jason Reitman (whose behind-the-scenes Saturday Night Live comedy “Saturday Night” is now in theaters) looks back at the abbreviated campaign of 1988 Democratic presidential candidate Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman) , whose White House dreams were dashed after his extramarital affair was revealed. Imagine living in a world where a sex scandal could end a politician’s career! Oh wait, Hart was a Democrat. No matter, the story is confirmed.
Where to watch: Starz , digital rental
All the President’s Men (1976)
Last week, the Washington Post found itself in controversy with a portion of its subscriber base over its mistimed announcement that it would no longer endorse political candidates . The outcry against billionaire owner Jeff Bezos (who took responsibility for the decision but denied there was partisan intent behind it) led to about 250,000 people canceling their subscriptions . It’s a far cry from the political scandal that engulfed the paper some 50 years ago, when the Watergate investigation, led by reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein (played here by Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman), toppled President Richard Nixon. Democracy dies in darkness and all that.
Where to watch: digital rental.
American President (1995)
And finally, speaking of fairy tales, there’s always Aaron Sorkin’s pre -The West Wing political rom-com about the love affair between popular Democratic incumbent Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) and political idealist Sidney Ellen Wade (Annette Bening), a working lawyer. for a lobby group fighting for legislation to reduce CO2 emissions. Like Sorkin’s later series, the film purports to be an in-depth look at how government works and how laws are made (it includes awkward comedic dialogue). Even 30 years ago, her naive belief that noble intentions, hard work and bipartisanship could turn things around in Washington seemed naively optimistic. Today it looks like pure fiction. And escapism is what we’re all looking for now, isn’t it?
Where to watch: digital rental.