By Jessica Lawlor
Politics and comedy are not a likely mix. But when you add Robin Williams to a film, that’s exactly what you’re going to get, and hilariously so.
The movie Man of the Year features Tom Dobbs (Williams) as a comedian with his own political news show a la Jon Stewart. Dobbs is so adored by his fans that one night an audience member shouts out, “Why don’t you run for president?” Dobbs laughs it off. A comedian as president? Never. But after much thinking, something inside him clicks.
Sick of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, he decides to run as an Independent and campaigns around the country. After getting on the ballot in thirteen states, Dobbs is allowed to participate in the final presidential debate and dominates the floor.
After the debate the press surrounds him, asking questions that most politicians would ignore. When asked, “As a teenager did you smoke pot?” Dobbs amusingly responds, “I did inhale because I thought ‘what the hell, it’s lit, it’s in my hand, and I’ll inhale it.'” Charismatic and approachable, Dobbs seems to be every citizen’s dream president.
The country, in an excited frenzy over the new system of computer voting, set out to cast their ballot on Election Day. However, Eleanor Green (Laura Linney) who works for the new computer voting machine finds a blip in the system. When telling her bosses, they threaten and fire her in a terrifying sequence of events.
‘It’s not what the audience paid to see,’ read several other reviews. Many critics believe that the trailers are misleading to the movie, saying that the film was portrayed to be a comedy, but instead I s a political thriller. They, however, are wrong. It is a comedy with a plot- something that other comedies lack. The combination of suspense, comedy and drama is new and refreshing.
With a great cast featuring actors such as Christopher Walken, Tina Fey, Lewis Black and, of course, Williams and Linney, this movie is sure to be a hit.
Tom Dobbs wins the election, but it is not sure if he is the rightful president? You’ll have to see the movie to find out but one thing is for sure: Williams gives an excellent performance and this is one movie not to be missed.
GRADE: B+
