Swing Vote (2008)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Joshua Michael Stern

Writers:

Jason Richman (written by) &
Joshua Michael Stern (written by)

Release Date:

1 August 2008 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

One ordinary guy is giving the candidates a reason to run.

Plot:

In a remarkable turn-of-events, the result of the presidential election comes down to one man's vote. |

Plot Keywords:

U.S. President | Presidential Campaign | Father Daughter Relationship | Bowling | Political

Cast

Kevin Costner	...	Bud Johnson
Madeline Carroll	...	Molly Johnson
Paula Patton	...	Kate Madison
Kelsey Grammer	...	President Andrew Boone
Dennis Hopper	...	Donald Greenleaf
Nathan Lane	...	Art Crumb
Stanley Tucci	...	Martin Fox
George Lopez	...	John Sweeney
Judge Reinhold	...	Walter
Charles Esten	...	Lewis
Richard Petty	...	Himself
Willie Nelson	...	Himself
Mare Winningham	...	Larissa Johnson
Mark Moses	...	Attorney General Wyatt
Nana Visitor	...	Galena Greenleaf
Floyd 'Red Crow' Westerman	...	Chief Running Bear
Shawn Prince	...	Jed
Dale O'Malley	...	Hank
Mary Sue Evans	...	Mrs. Abernathy
Gary Farmer	...	Curly
Adam Taylor	...	Justice Brower
Bruce McIntosh	...	Father In Classroom
Tom Romero	...	Ad Exec
Tony Blankley	...	Himself
Aaron Brown	...	Himself
Campbell Brown	...	Herself
Tucker Carlson	...	Himself
James Carville	...	Himself
Matt Frei	...	Himself
Mary Hart	...	Herself
Arianna Huffington	...	Herself
Larry King	...	Himself
Anne Kornblut	...	Herself
Bill Maher	...	Himself
Chris Matthews	...	Himself
Lawrence O'Donnell	...	Himself
Forrest Fyre	...	Ted Drake
Ivan Brutsche	...	Carl
Sheila Ivy Traister	...	Vermont Reporter #1
Jeremy Jojola	...	Vermont Reporter #2
Suzanne Michaels	...	Vermont Reporter #3
Cynthia Ruffin	...	Boone Staffer #1
Jason Henning	...	Boone Staffer #2
Les Shapiro	...	Network Reporter
Cynthia Straus	...	Darlene
Charles Moore	...	UPS Delivery Man
Colin Jones	...	KNME Techie
Trista Callander	...	Commercial Director
Richard M. Dereyes	...	Market Reporter #1
Shauna Clark	...	Market Reporter #2
Deborah Brown	...	Market Reporter #3 (as Debra-Jayne Brown)
Price Hall	...	Market Reporter #4
Olajida Kashu	...	Gay Doctor
Jessica Morin	...	Butch Gay Cop
Tim Janis	...	Gay Soldier
Scott Meyer	...	Gay Partner #1
Brent Lambert	...	Gay Partner #2
Christopher Dempsey	...	Secret Service Agent #1
David Meeker	...	Secret Service Agent #2
Janeal Arison	...	TV Producer
Madelin Whelpley	...	Female Student #1
Alyssa Gutierrez	...	Female Student #2
Amber Midthunder	...	Female Student #3
Taylor Warden	...	Male Student #1
Angelo Martinez	...	Male Student #2
Isaiah Bergert	...	Male Student #3
Arron Shiver	...	Greenleaf Aide #1
Kate Schroeder	...	Greenleaf Aide #2
David Dalton	...	Greenleaf Aide #3
Heather Hitt	...	Greenleaf Aide #4
Pierre Barrera	...	Henry
Todd Lewis	...	ET Segment Producer
Dan Gerrity	...	Trailer Reporter #1
Cris Ornelas	...	Trailer Reporter #2
Esodi Geiger	...	Trailer Reporter #3
Constance Hsu	...	Trailer Reporter #4
Catalina Parish	...	Trailer Reporter #5
Joshua Michael Stern	...	Commercial Director
Tony Stern	...	Gospel Minister
Mara Holguin	...	Waitress
John J. Coinman	...	Bud Johnson's Band
Blair Forward	...	Bud Johnson's Band
Teddy Morgan	...	Bud Johnson's Band
Larry Cobb	...	Bud Johnson's Band
Charles Park Chisholm	...	Bud Johnson's Band
Bobby Yang	...	Bud Johnson's Band
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Keanu Briones	...	Child on playground slide
Burly Cain	...	Secret Service Agent
Dave Colon	...	News Reporter
Pamela Finley	...	First Lady Boone
David Giammarco	...	CJ
Chaz Grundy	...	Greenleaf Aide
Rachel Hroncich	...	Reporter
Bob Jesser	...	Softball
Chance Romero	...	Pizza Guy
JoAnne Blackstone	...	Socialite (uncredited)
William E. Marshall	...	Reporter (uncredited)
Cameron Martin	...	Jody Maroni vendor (uncredited)
Therese Olson	...	Walter's Party Girl (uncredited)
Brian Reece	...	Secret Service Agent (uncredited)
Janet Smith	...	High End Reception Guest (uncredited)
Dan Strakal	...	Presidential Advisor (uncredited)

Directed by
Joshua Michael Stern

Writing credits
Jason Richman		(written by) &
Joshua Michael Stern		(written by)

Produced by
Kevin Costner	....	producer
Terry Dougas	....	executive producer
Ted Field	....	executive producer
Robin Jonas	....	executive producer
Paris Kasidokostas Latsis	....	executive producer
Todd Lewis	....	line producer
Jim Wilson	....	producer

Original Music by
John Debney

Cinematography by
Shane Hurlbut

Film Editing by
Jeff McEvoy

Casting by
Venus Kanani
Mary Vernieu

Production Design by
Steve Saklad

Set Decoration by
Marcia Calosio

Costume Design by
Lisa Jensen

Makeup Department
Enid Arias	....	hair stylist
Sara Bozik	....	additional makeup
Elizabeth Gallegos	....	assistant hair stylist
Blair Leonard	....	makeup artist
Dennis Liddiard	....	key makeup artist
Jennifer McDaniel	....	additional makeup artist
Medusah	....	assistant department head hair
Jolynn Nieto	....	assistant makeup artist
Deidre Parness	....	makeup artist
Danlee Winegar	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
S.J. 'JoJo' Fieger	....	production supervisor
Christopher Kulikowski	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kate Marie Boyle	....	additional second assistant director (day player)
Lily Garcia	....	additional second second assistant director
Eric Glasser	....	second second assistant director
Eric Fox Hays	....	first assistant director
Scott Metcalfe	....	first assistant director: added scenes
Chad Saxton	....	additional second second assistant director

Art Department
Chris Alvarez	....	welding foreman
Brett Andrews	....	props
David D. Baumann	....	props
John Berger	....	set designer
Lance Cheatham	....	set dresser
Dennis Collins	....	on-set painter
Sage Emmett Connell	....	gang boss
Brian DeNike	....	greens foreman
Chadney Everett	....	set dresser
Paul Arthur Hartman	....	leadman
Virginia Hopkins	....	lead painter
Lisa Landeau	....	set decoration buyer
Amahl Lovato	....	set designer
Steven Maes	....	graphic artist: New Mexico
Roberta Marquez	....	art department coordinator
Heidi Mayfield	....	clearance and placement coordinator
Robbie Mueller	....	set dresser
Gabriel Rivera	....	props
Ted Slampyak	....	storyboard artist
Leigh Anne Stoudenmire	....	art department assistant
Karen Teneyck	....	graphic designer
David Thompson	....	carpenter
Rick Young	....	property master
Colin Zaug	....	on-set dresser

Sound Department
Peter Drexler	....	foley artist
Aleksandr Gruzdev	....	dialogue editor
Aleksandr Gruzdev	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jae Kim	....	post-production sound assistant
Dessie Markovsky	....	supervising sound editor
Tor McAfee Kingdon	....	adr mixer
Chris Navarro	....	adr mixer
Matthew Nicolay	....	production sound mixer
Emile Razpopov	....	sound designer
Vesco Razpopov	....	foley supervisor
Andy Snavley	....	sound effects editor
Andy Snavley	....	sound re-recording mixer
Zac Sneesby	....	second boom operator
Ben Whitver	....	adr mixer

Special Effects by
Daniel Holt	....	special effects technician
Margaret Johnson	....	special effects foreman
Randy E. Moore	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Lindsay Anderson	....	compositor
Michael Ashton	....	digital compositor
Jamie Baxter	....	digital compositor
Ryan Beadle	....	digital I/O
David Cole	....	digital colourist
Sam Dabbs	....	lead title designer
Sarah Grieshammer	....	digital compositor
Shaina Holmes	....	digital compositor
Justin Israel	....	compositor
Nicholas Kim	....	3D artist
Nicholas Kim	....	digital compositor
Paulina Kuszta	....	visual effects coordinator
Mark Sawicki	....	visual effects colorist

Stunts
Al Goto	....	stunt coordinator
John Koyama	....	stunt coordinator
Daniel Maldonado	....	stunt driver

Camera and Electrical Department
Glenn Brown	....	key first assistant camera
Edward A. Duran	....	rigger grip
Harland Espeset	....	best boy rigging grip
Frank Eyers	....	24 frame playback operator
Tyler Fletcher	....	additional video assist operator
Lamarr Gray	....	rigging gaffer
Rudy Harbon	....	additional camera operator
Greg Hewett	....	key grip
Tom Hutchinson	....	second assistant camera
John Joleaud	....	lighting technician
Michael Kelem	....	aerial director of photography
Jason Linebaugh	....	rigging electrician
Jody Miller	....	b cam/Steadicam operator
Ray Ortega	....	best boy rigging electric
James R. Powell	....	second assistant camera
Mark Steinig	....	best boy grip
Jeff Stewart	....	gaffer: second unit
Michael Svitak	....	film loader
James R. Tynes	....	gaffer
Paul Varrieur	....	camera operator: "a" camera
Marcia Woske	....	rigger grip
Mark Sheets	....	rigging grip (uncredited)

Animation Department
The Chiodo Brothers	....	animator

Casting Department
Jo Edna Boldin	....	location casting
Chris Bustard	....	extras casting: Los Angeles
Elizabeth Gabel	....	extras casting
Lindsay Graham	....	casting associate
Marie A. Kohl	....	casting associate
Hannah Macpherson	....	casting assistant
Michelle Wade	....	casting assistant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Maria Bentfield	....	set costumer
Claire Breaux	....	costumer
Lora Rael	....	set costumer
Claire Sandrin	....	key set costumer
Cassidy Zachary	....	costumer
Pilar Agoyo	....	seamstress (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Ben Callahan	....	first assistant editor
George Chavez	....	color timer
Nancy Fuller	....	digital intermediate project manager
Byron Smith	....	digital intermediate project manager

Music Department
Jeff Atmajian	....	additional orchestrations
Frank Bennett	....	additional orchestrations
Brad Dechter	....	orchestrator
Alan Ett	....	music arranger: choral music
Kevin Kaska	....	additional orchestrations
Scott Liggett	....	music arranger: choral music
Chris Lord	....	assistant orchestrator
Melanie Mullens Hoyson	....	score production supervisor
Shawn Murphy	....	scoring mixer
Peter Rotter	....	music contractor
Mike Watts	....	additional orchestrations

Transportation Department
Rita Lundin	....	transportation
Randy White	....	picture car coordinator

Other crew
Steve Aguino	....	location assistant
Michael Chochol	....	additional set production assistant
Angie Lee Cobbs	....	production coordinator
Faith Conroy	....	script supervisor
Paul Conti	....	video/cgi playback supervisor
Michael Dellheim	....	location manager
Mandy Diasselliss	....	studio teacher
Dante Eaton	....	assistant: director
Fernando Echeverri	....	production assistant
Amy Eldridge	....	payroll accountant
Brooke Fair	....	craft service
S.J. 'JoJo' Fieger	....	production supervisor
Bernadette Gonzales	....	assistant: producer: l.a. unit
Marissa M. Gonzales	....	production assistant
Johann Grimm	....	production assistant
Amy Hawkins	....	second assistant accountant
Keith Jackson	....	set production assistant
Brady Kephart	....	production assistant
Katherine Knox	....	assistant production coordinator
Ryan Lacen	....	set production assistant
Leigh Maney	....	set production assistant
Brandy Marrs	....	production secretary
Ryan J. Pezdirc	....	office production assistant
Cali Pomes	....	key set production assistant
Brieann Rich	....	set medic
Michael Rich	....	production assistant
Nicholas Rich	....	key set medic
Rufus Rosendo	....	office production assistant
Veronica Sanchez	....	assistant to line producer and co-producer
Kim Smith	....	first assistant accountant
Rowan Stanland	....	key assistant location manager
Marcus Taylor	....	set production assistant
Adrienne L. Graves	....	accounting clerk (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Treehouse Films (II)
• G&M Films
• 1821 Pictures
• Radar Pictures
• Tig Productions
• Touchstone Pictures

Distributors

• Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (2008) (USA) (theatrical)
• Benelux Film Distribution (2008) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Delanic Films (2008) (UK) (all media)
• Kathy Morgan International (2008) (worldwide) (all media)
• Paradise Group (2008) (Russia) (all media)
• Splendid Film (2008) (Germany) (theatrical)

Special Effects

• Custom Film Effects
• Great FX

Other Companies

• Albuquerque Studios  sound stages
• Bendy  sound post-production
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera car
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack
• MS-Pro/MusicSupervisor.com  post-production (music services)
• No Stone Unturned Security & Investigative Services  set security (as Angels Security)
• On Tour Productions  special thanks
• Paramount Transportation Services  provided secret service vehicles
• Paramount Transportation Services  transportation services

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for language.

Runtime:

USA:120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

UK:12A | Canada:G (Québec) | Canada:PG (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) | Ireland:12A | USA:PG-13 (certificate #44167)

Filming Locations:

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Treehouse Films (II)

Trivia:

It's a not-confess remake of Disputado voto del señor Cayo, El (1986).

Goofs:

Continuity: At Kate's table, when Molly is confessing to Kate, the phone is ringing. When Kate watches the "hidden camera" replay, we do not hear the phone.

Quotes:

Bud Johnson: I'll call them back.
Molly Johnson: If we had a phone you could call them back.

Movie Connections:

Features "Hardball with Chris Matthews" (1997)

Soundtrack:

El Toro Bravo

If you buy into it, you'll love it.

Yes, the whole concept is absurd, and as a result the film will probably take a lot of criticism, but I really enjoyed every minute of it at an early screening this evening. I enjoy Kevin Costner's work except when he tries to go action hero and he is thankfully getting too old for that unless he decides to buy growth hormone from Stallone or something. He was terrific in Mr. Brooks and he excels once again in a totally different role. It is the sort of character that he does best, more akin to his "Bull Durham" role.

The real find of the film was Madeline Carrol who played his daughter. She joins Abagail Breslin, Dakota Fanning , and Anna Sophia Robb in a current crop of extremely talented tweeners.

I enjoyed the entire cast and it was great to see Judge Reinhold for the first time in awhile.

The whole concept of how Costner's vote becomes so important is one that is hard to swallow, but if you go along for the ride I promise that you will have a great time.

Late in the film Mare Winningham appears in perhaps the films most powerful though least appropriate scene. It is her only scene. I believe it was used to hammer in a serious message though the scene had little to do with the message of the film other than shift to a more sober mood. Sober may not have been the best choice of words to describe the scene though.

One of the nicer aspects of the film is its terrific music. A mix of tunes from several decades centered around Marshall Tucker's "Can't You See" really makes for a nice soundtrack.

Ultimately the film has a great message about the importance of one person, one vote. And if it gets a lot more democrats(whoops I mean Americans) to vote this year, then in my opinion it will have done a great public service in addition to being solidly entertaining. And no, it does not have a liberal agenda, so all you Rush fans need to hold judgment before slamming the film. Unlike this reviewer, the film is really good at not taking a political stance. The film depicts all politicians as if they would stoop to anything to get elected, and garners a lot of laughs with that premise.

I want to add one last thing. I would call this a family movie except for the profanity. I took my 9 year old precocious daughter and she loved it, but there was actually a running joke about Costner's character's love of swearing. So if a little swearing and some references to controversial issues (abortion, gay marriage, legal pot) are OK with you, bring the kids. Like I said, it does have a good message.