Five Movies to Watch Instead of 2024 Election Results

Tuesday, November 5, 2024 doesn’t have to be the day you play a drinking game as news anchors rush to declare states and electoral college votes for candidates. You don’t have to bite your nails or pace the floor. Instead, pop some popcorn, turn on a movie—or three, and chill out. God is in control. So laugh out loud and enjoy the irony of campaigning and governing in the 21st century. Citizens of our representative republic — like you and me — could use a deep breath.

Disclaimer: You’ll find many progressive agendas and policies in these movies. Very few conservative ideas are put forth, except for punchline

s. Of course they do. They emerged from Hollywood like creatures from the La Brea Tar Pits. The commentary on our modern elections, however, is spot on. 

Swing Vote (2008)

Plot Summary

Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner) continues to grieve his lost marriage, his lost dreams, and a life going nowhere while he tries to raise his daughter, Molly. She, on the other hand, is bright, thoughtful, and like many children of alcoholic parents, has taken over the responsible adult role in the home. Molly cajoles Bud to make sure to exercise his civic responsibility, but he forgets and passes out in his pickup truck outside a bar in small Texico, New Mexico. Molly sneaks in and tries to cast Bud’s ballot, only to have the power go out before it is counted. Election officials discover a vote stuck in the system.

The contentious election remained tied with New Mexico uncounted. This county can’t be fully counted until the mystery vote is counted.

So, the news media, the Republican incumbent (Kelsey Grammer), the Democrat challenger (Dennis Hopper), their political hatchetmen (Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane), and all of the political “carnies” descend on Texico for ten days to campaign in order to win Bud’s vote.

Will Bud make a wise choice? Will he lose his daughter in the process? And what about the state of America?

Why You Should Watch

My stepson and I debated the ole chestnut, “Does one vote really count?” over a fried chicken lunch this week. This will be his first election, and he’s already convinced that his vote is worthless. “Swing Vote” causes us to wrestle with the idea. The moviemakers draw us in and we find ourselves in Bud’s shoes, wondering about all of the attention he received and how we’d fare under the same spotlight’s glare.

As a movie fan, the cast is tremendous and play their stereotypes with great gusto.

Watch For

A young Chip Esten plays one of the Secret Service agents assigned to Bud. He’s on point, but watch what he does in the background of all the scenes. 

Redemptive Qualities

When Molly stands before her class on “Bring Your Dad to Work Day,” she delivers a speech that every political candidate of every local, state, and federal race should use as an outline for their first stump as a candidate and use as a checklist for every day on the campaign trail.

Kelsey Grammer, as the incumbent, plays a conservative but has the gravitas of a real-life conservative feed his satire. As a conservative, I was angry with him for taking the part until I watched the scene in the lawn chairs. And then I understood why they cast him and why he agreed to the part.

Man of the Year (2006)

Plot Summary

Comedian and late night talk show host Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams) has been making fun of the President and the government for years. One night during his monologue, a fan asks him when he is running for President. A punchline turns into a campaign as a third-party candidate merely to shake things up and address the issue of how candidates don’t address the issues. His manager, jack Menken (Christopher Walken) becomes his campaign director and his head comedy writer, Eddie Langston (Lewis Black), starts writing his speeches.

Meanwhile, online and machine voting is sweeping the nation thanks to a Silicon Valley startup whose valuation is about to explode after being adopted nationwide for the Presidential Election. One of the computer engineers, Eleanor Green (Laura Linney), catches a glitch, a minor piece of code. In order to avoid disrupting the business surge, they hide it like a White House press secretary “throwing out the trash” on a Friday night.

The race heats up, the computer engineer decides to tell Tom Dobbs, and the tech startup and their senior counsel (Jeff Goldblum) tries to stop her.

Election day comes and goes, turning this comedy into a mild thriller.

Why You Should Watch

Robin Williams is a genius and he turns in a powerhouse performance. Be careful not to drink any beverage while Williams is speaking on screen. It will be coming out your nose.

There are idealogical points first made in this movie that I’ve seen as memes. I wish Barry Levinson, who wrote and directed, would’ve received credit. He really does put the burn on the American campaign machinery.

This movie has the guts of “Dead Poets Society” and “Patch Adams”—great comedic moments but with a heart and message you can’t avoid.

Watch For

The movie is set up as Christopher Walken recounting the entire election cycle for a reporter. Pay attention to Walken throughout the movie. He acts as Levinson’s yellow highlighter on the points he wants to make.

There’s a line in the movie I quote often. After the debate in the movie, one of the campaign workers comes to Walken. Listen carefully to the line and the response of Dobbs’ team. We should all be as wise and compassionate to those in our lives.

Redemptive Qualities

In each of the color movies mentioned, the moviemakers turn their eyes to the Secret Service. Watch for the “I’m just doing my job” versus “I can act like a human being” tug-of-war agents play throughout the film.

The word “integrity” comes from a root meaning “wholeness.” Think of a ship. The ship has integrity because water cannot breach the hull. Tom Dobbs’ has integrity throughout the movie. Note how many times he seeks to remain whole.

Dave (1993)

Plot Summary

Dave Kovic runs a temporary employment agency by day and is a stand-up comedian by night. His schtick? Impersonating the President. Imagine his shock when the Secret Service shows up to hire him to come to an event and be President Bill Mitchell’s body double.

Through a comedy of errors, the President becomes ill and a power-hungry chief of staff, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), keeps Dave on to be a puppet to run his agenda.

But Dave doesn’t play along. And through encounters with citizens and the First Lady (Sigourney Weaver), he plays his own tune.

Will Dave be exposed and bring down the Presidency? Will they keep up the ruse for the sake of the republic? And will Secret Service agent Duane Stevenson (Ving Rhames) every smile?

Why You Should Watch

Director Ivan Reitman backed up the gravitas dump truck and spills meaning into your popcorn and Coke and all over your lap. Sir Ben Kingsley plays the Vice President. Weaver’s turn as the First Lady is dynamic, bitchy, sweet, and funny. Charles Grodin’s reluctant accountant sews it all together.

Watch for the scene when the Vice President returns from Africa. They play both the protocol and the reality so well in those few minutes.

This movie plays as a tapestry of contrasts. President versus Dave. Political operatives versus citizens. The federal government versus common sense. The magic is in the contrasts. Lean into them and you’ll enjoy the movie that much more.

Redemptive Qualities

The villain receives the perfect comeuppance. Yet, I fear that the scene makes us choke on our cancel culture.

Dave’s mantra in his “real world” is “Everybody works on Tuesdays.” That phrase takes on deep meaning throughout the entire movie.

I as sure I am stretching the theological tenet of substitutionary atonement, but I’ve always been blown away by an idea: Who Dave is in the months he pretends to be President transforms Mitchell’s reputation and legacy. I doubt very seriously that this connection to the Gospel ever crossed screenwriter Gary Ross and Ivan Reitman’s minds. Yet, I can’t escape how different Mitchell’s funeral had been if the truth of his demise had been the narrative of the media. Every time I watch, I am greatly comforted that Jesus took my place and that my story is different because my end isn’t eternal death.

The American President (1995)

Plot Summary

Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas) is headed toward re-election and is rolling out a legislative agenda that will make him unbeatable next November. However, in order to get there, he must disappoint the environmental lobby. The environmentalists strike back hiring a political consultant to stem the tide and convince the White House. Sydney Ellen Wade (Annette Benning) comes in swinging.

Instead, President Shepherd is twitterpated by Wade and the widower and the lobbyist begin a romance that the tabloids trumpet and that Shepherd’s opponents exploit.

Will the dating relationship bring down his bid for re-election? Will his skillful staff save the day? 

Why You Should Watch

Rob Reiner directs Aaron Sorkin’s amazing script in what is considered the rocket that launched “The West Wing.” Watch for the banter and wit. Watch for the powerhouse performances by Michael J. Fox, and Martin Sheen, as well as Douglas and Benning.

If you love great romantic comedies, you’ll love “The American President.” Lean in to the State Dinner, the phone calls, and the running gags of grand romantic gestures.

Redemptive Qualities

Watch for the theme of grief and how it plays out its many forms throughout the story. Many characters are grieving and trying to power through their lives. They are arrested by grief. Sorkin’s soaring script paints on so many different levels, you’ll be amazed at how he packed it all into 114 minutes.

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939)

Plot Summary

When young, idealistic Jefferson Smith (James Stewart) receives an appointment to the U.S. Senate, he’s as shocked as everyone else in his home state. Known for his patriotism and dedication to civic youth projects, Smith takes on his new role with wide-eyed excitement. But Washington, D.C., has its own agenda. Senator Paine (Claude Rains), an old family friend, and the political machine backing him, have plans for a lucrative dam project, conveniently located on land set aside for Smith’s beloved “boys’ camp” program. As Smith begins to understand the tangled web of political corruption around him, he faces a choice: stay quiet or take a stand, risking his reputation, career, and possibly his life. When Smith decides to stand up for what he believes, the entire country reacts. Will you stand with him?

Why You Should Watch

James Stewart’s performance is nothing short of magnetic—he’s got the everyman charm that feels both inspiring and down-to-earth. “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” is more than a movie; it’s a call to reflect on the integrity of political institutions and the role of the “little guy” in big government.

Director Frank Capra crafts a film that’s somehow both light-hearted and deeply impactful. This movie comes from an era of unfiltered optimism, a belief that one good person can make a difference. 

Watch For

In 1939, only the richest flew by airplane. A larger percentage traveled by train and car, but when this movie came out, most families were still rebuilding after the Great Depression. Going to the movie theatres was as much of an adventure as most families had. So, when Smith gets off the train in Washington and takes a cab around the monuments, moviegoers oohed and ahhed, shed tears, and pointed at the screen in wonder. Do yourself a favor and try to view Washington’s beauty through 1939 eyes when you watch.

Redemptive Qualities

The movie talks about the “boys camp” and doesn’t mention the Boy Scouts of America by name. However, as an Eagle Scout (class of 1982), I see Scouting’s founding principles and spirit throughout. Look for ideals expressed in the Scout Law throughout: trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent.

Played for laughs and plot points, Capra directs the support staff of the Senator to bristle at his backwoods, down home charm. Watch for their transformation. They do not gain an appreciation for his culture of origin, but of something far greater.

Bonus: A Few Episodes of “The West Wing”

I recommend you repeatedly watch every nanosecond of the first four seasons of “The West Wing”, but for election night, binge these and run out the clock on the results.

“20 Hours in America” (Season 4, Episodes 1 & 2)

Josh, Toby, and Donna are stranded in Indiana and witness the struggles of everyday Americans, which influences the campaign’s direction. Meanwhile, the Bartlet team works on the campaign from the White House.

“Debate Camp” (Season 4, Episode 4)

The staff prepares for Bartlet’s debate against his opponent, Governor Ritchie, and the episode provides flashbacks to earlier debates and campaign preparations.

“Game On” (Season 4, Episode 6)

Bartlet debates Governor Ritchie, a crucial moment in the re-election campaign, showcasing Bartlet’s wit and policy knowledge in contrast to Ritchie’s simplicity.

“Election Night” (Season 4, Episode 7)

This episode centers on the results of the election, with Bartlet and his staff anxiously awaiting the outcome.

Conclusion

There are dozens of other movies about the Presidency, the political machine, and elections. However, they aren’t light-hearted enough to give you a shot of optimism and bring relief from the constant onslaught of political ads and the billions of pixels activated by the candidates and their supporters for the past 18 months.

What politically themed movies bring a smile to your face without bringing heartburn to your GI tract?