Swing Vote

Even though the film's premise (one man's problematic vote in the Presidential election will decide his state's electoral college votes, which is enough to swing the presidential election by his sole vote, which is to be re-cast due to a voting machine malfunction) has a super-low probability of ever happening, the writers use it to springboard into some very satirical bits on what the candidates are willing to do in order to campaign for one single vote that will decide the Presidential election.

Kevin Costner is solid as Bud, a blue-collar type just trying to get by on a low wage job, with a young daughter (Molly) who is the adult in their relationship. Their scenes together play very well and endears us to them as Bud has history foisted on him due to the voting machine malfunction. As Bud gets authenticated as the lone swing voter, he is given 10 days to go on an unexpected personal journey that includes courtship by both candidates (where pandering and a juggling of their political party platforms is of the utmost expediency for Bud's vote) and a personal re-examination of what it means to participate in the political process as a means to affect meaningful change in people's lives.

Kevin Costner and physical comedy - 2 things I thought I'd never pair with one another, but Costner's pretty funny at the limited bits in the film. Madeline Carroll, who play Molly, is very sweet and has a real connection with Costner and makes their father-daughter scenes work and bolsters the film with an emotional core. While the rest of the cast of characters aren't fully developed (they don't need to be), they all are written well enough to convey at what cost is their life's ambition worth to their personal integrity, and how each one handles their crossroads in a proper manner.

I was entertained for most of its running time, laughed at some funny campaign commercials and other situations that develop from this premise. Though Bud sure did get to experience a lot in 10 days, the script pokes necessary fun at the 2 major political parties, and campaign process, and distills it into a microcosm of landing Bud's vote.

I give it 3 stars, or a grade of B.