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Recount
Directed by: Jay Roach
Starring: Kevin Spacey
Genre:
Drama
Run Time: 116
min.
Release Date:
May 2008
On The Web:
Official
Site
Teaser:
Movie Trailer
Reviewed by
Byron Merritt |
Surprisingly entertaining
but ultimately not very topical anymore (the two sides have stayed
pretty much unchanged since the 2000 Presidential election debacle in
Florida), RECOUNT is engaging thanks to the powerful performances
of some high-caliber actors.
Kevin Spacey (SUPERMAN
RETURNS) leads the way as attorney Ron Klain. Pulled into
the legal quagmire of Al Gore’s attempt to get a recount done in Florida
after several irregularities popped up, Spacey is easy to watch and
makes the viewer feel at home with the character/man.
By his side is the foul-mouthed but implacable Michael Whooley (Dennis
Leary, ICE AGE 2) who fights tooth-and-nail to try and get the recount
started, too, but is hamstrung by idiots within the Democratic Party and
a surprise ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court (did you know that they
basically elected George Bush?). Tom Wilkinson (THE EXORCISM OF EMILY
ROSE) hits the other side of the tables (i.e., the Republicans) as James
Baker. Crafty and wise, Baker gets ahead of the game and wins for his
side thanks to some unique legal maneuvers.
I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t give some serious kudos to Laura
Dern who played the role of Katherine Harris, the former Secretary of
State of Florida. Winning a surprising Golden Globe award for Best
Supporting Actress in a made-for-TV film, Dern’s Harris was absolutely
flawless. Her self-absorbed persona mixed with her powerful position
made me shiver, which was exactly what I should’ve been doing.
The sad part is that with a few more dollars I think this film could’ve
been upgraded from ‘made-for-TV’ and had a decent showing at cinemas.
But we have what we have. It’s an interesting run at a nine-year-old
subject, and it still eats at me, but it didn’t deliver anything I
didn’t already know ...and loathe.
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Image from Recount
DVD cost: $13.39
Purchase:
Tower.com
Film Review Stew
Favorite? No.
Stew Poo-Poo? No.
Newsworthy:
Most of the cast met with
their real-life counterparts prior to filming. The real Katherine Harris
refused to meet with Laura Dern or anybody else associated with the
production, despite repeated pleas from Dern, writer Danny Strong and
director Jay Roach.
Movie Quote: "The
plural of chad is chad?."
Other Actors/Actresses
from Recount
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