Ivan Reitman channeling Frank Capra, the 1993 political comedy Dave is effectively a satirical melodrama in which good and evil and right and wrong couldn't be more crystal clear. The story of an everyday man who gets thrust into the highest position of power due to him having an eerily similar appearance to the sitting President, Reitman's film is a charming, idealistic romp that posits empathy and altruism as the tonic necessary to the ills of the U.S. political apparatus. The viewer's suspension of disbelief is necessary for some of the film's more glaringly absurd sequences related to this mistaken-identity archetypical story, yet Dave manages to work far more than it doesn't due to Kevin Kline's infectious performance. Jimmy Stewart, he is not, yet Kline manages to be underrated in these types of roles. It requires a general likeability to strike the right balance between comedic zeal and an assured authenticity, and Kline pulls it off, making the film's understated thematic sensibilities shine through despite the idealism and general absurdity of its premise. A charming, feel-good political satire that manages to work thanks to its Capra-inspired optimism and a strong panoply of character actors which make the film's more convenient narrative schematics less pronounced thanks to their authentic performances
1 Comment
NORMAN LEONARD
1/30/2021 09:50:12 pm
Consistently appreciate your take. My only complaints: I wish the reviews were longer :) . . . and I wish you made a list of films that the film you’re reviewing were related to — both directly and indirectly, e.g. Capra films in this example and maybe Primary Colors, Milk, or a host of others you would know better than me. ;)
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June 2023
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