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10/18/08
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Swing Vote (2008)
36 %
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Reviews Counted: 132
Fresh: 48
Rotten:84
Average Rating: 5.1/10
Consensus: Despite Kevin Costner providing his most charismatic performance in years, Swing Vote fails to find the right mix of political satire and heartfelt drama.
Theatrical Release: Aug 1, 2008 Wide
Box Office: $16,229,781
Synopsis: Writer/director Joshua Michael Stern (NEVERWAS) tackles American politics in his second feature film. Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner) is just your below-average Joe. He works in an egg factory, likes to knock back a few too many beers, and is... [More]
Starring: Kevin Costner, Paula Patton, Kelsey Grammer, Dennis Hopper
Director: Joshua Michael Stern
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Reviews for Swing Vote
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10/18/08
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10/18/08
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10/18/08
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10/18/08
Top Critic
Watchable, well acted satirical drama that starts well but quickly loses its bite and tails off into sentimentality and a cop-out ending.
09/26/08
The film varies between ironic cynicism about the political process and overt whimsy and sentimentality.
09/26/08
What starts out as a hokey satire on electioneering and spin becomes a hokey lesson on civic responsibility, with a catch in the throat and a tear in the eye. Try to suppress the curl in your lip.
09/26/08
Hayseed nonsense, folksily scripted. Whenever it becomes too much – or too little – close your eyes and think of Frank Capra.
09/26/08
While not without its charms, and aiming a well-placed dig at American voter apathy, the jokes don’t work, Costner looks hungover for real and the corn count is way, way too high, particularly during Bud’s big speech at the end.
09/26/08
Election-year pertinence turns to mush in a winsome feel-gooder that wastes no time ramming its wholesome message down our throats. Oh, and did we mention that Kev gets to sing with his band Modern West? What a load of ballots…
09/26/08
The cynical vote-chasing ploys of the political machines are cheekily spoofed....and then the grand conceit is deserted and the whole caboodle slides into a tacky vat of sentimental, flag-waving gloop.
09/26/08
But away from the cutesy stuff there are some surprisingly sharp digs at the political process.
09/26/08
It’s like a party political broadcast brought to you by the Idiot Party.
09/26/08
Jolly enough but far, far too nice. A satire with no bite that seems much more like a chance to preach at an apathetic electorate.
09/26/08
Latest News for Swing Vote
August 18, 2008:
Kevin Costner, Kelsey Grammer Sued for Cribbing Swing Vote Script 
Former Bush assistant and political pundit Bradley A. Blakeman claims the political comedy, in theaters now, was lifted from a script he spent eight years writing. More...
August 03, 2008:
Box Office Guru Wrapup: The Bat Still Going Strong, Three Weeks In
The Dark Knight won't losen its grip on the box office gold, but the Mummy is a very close silver. More...
August 01, 2008:
Review Revue: Can Mummy 3 or Swing Vote Beat the Bat?
Ouch! Who would have thought that The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor would get downright embalmed by critics? And will the scribes vote fresh or rotten for Kevin Costner's... More...
August 01, 2008:
With Costner's yokel having a decided preference for being handed a beer rather than a ballot, he does a pretty darn good job of exposing the phony platitudes and pandering of candidates, in a movie about bad news politicians and even badder parenting.
More...
Related Forums for Swing Vote
(2008)-SWING VOTE takes a swing at everybody & gets a bi-partisan shellacking!!!
by: Darko, Donnie 9/4
by: Darko, Donnie 9/4
(2008)-SWING VOTE-Kevin Costner spent $30 mill of his own money for this movie-HELP?!
by: THE spammer - NO mercy! 8/10
by: THE spammer - NO mercy! 8/10
(2008)-SWING VOTE-Kevin Costner spent $30 mill of his own money for this movie-HELP?!
by: THE spammer - NO mercy! 8/10
by: THE spammer - NO mercy! 8/10
Vote No On the Dull and Soporific 'Swing Vote'
by: MH and THE MOVIES 8/8
by: MH and THE MOVIES 8/8
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