Herald rating: * * * *
Running time: 104 mins
In stores: Today
Review: Ewan McDonald
Bet you can remember someone like Tracy Flick from high school: smart, pretty, top of everything, totally objectionable. Now Tracy (Reese Witherspoon) wants to be elected student government president to add to her collection of every
other prize in school.
The aggressive, manipulative child/woman is seen mostly through the eyes of teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), who knows that she seduced another teacher, one of his best friends, last year; he both detests her and lusts after her. Determined that Tracy needs a come-uppance he talks dim-witted jock Paul (Chris Klein) into runnning against her. Things get complicated when Paul's lesbian sister, Tammy (Jessica Campbell), nominates herself too.
The writer, Alexander Payne, was nominated for the best original screenplay Oscar, and his Election is a cut above other films in this saturated genre. It's about an obnoxious student, a less-than-perfect teacher, breaucracy and a bunch of kids who are killing time until they can go out into the world. In short, a high-school movie with class.
