Man of the Year

Robin Williams
Christopher Walken
Laura Linney
Lewis Black
Jeff Goldblum

Directed by: Barry Levinson

Just like a real politician, Robin Williams is running for office as the media has reveled in his recent bought with alcohol after a 20 year hiatus. Despite the comic genius’ unfortunate fall off the wagon, hopefully the hilarious film Man of the Year will help somewhat in his recovery. Williams is at the top of his game as he’s allowed to riff and rap with some old jokes, some updated barbs and some new zingers when he runs for the highest office in the United States.

Williams plays political talk show host Tom Dobbs, a man whose show is similar to real TV shows featuring the likes of Bill Maher or Jon
Stewart. While attacking the political system and the people in charge, the audience suggests that he run for President of the United States. The story is actually told as an interview of how all the events occurred on this roller coaster ride by his manager, Jack Menken (Christopher Walken). He tells Dobbs to give the people what they want, but for awhile Dobbs plays it serious and doesn’t resort to his jokes and shenanigans that he uses on his own program. Once he gets accepted to the final debate things change when he can no longer hold back while listening to the line of garbage that the other two candidates are feeding the audience. He lets loose and starts a firestorm for his campaign.

Meanwhile, this year’s election will be totally computerized so there won’t be a need for counting votes and problems that occurred when Gore beat Bush but Florida messed it up for everybody with the hanging chad. But, just days before the election, Eleanor (Laura Linney), an employee of the software company, discovers that the program has a glitch but she’s not sure what it is. She sends an E-mail to her boss (Rick Roberts) but is ignored. As the votes pour in and show that Dobbs is winning she confronts her boss but is threatened by his right-hand man, Stewart (Jeff Goldblum). Next thing she knows, she’s running for her life as she tries to get the truth to president-elect Dobbs.

Meanwhile, Dobbs puts on a show for the world as he turns things upside down to show that his cabinet will be different, diverse and functional. He starts to fall for Eleanor but then has to decide if she’s paranoid, a drug-addict or being honest with everything that she tells him.

Don’t worry, Man of the Year doesn’t get so bogged down into a serious drama that it doesn’t remain funny or seem like it doesn’t know which way to turn. It’s a solid film that had the audience laughing so hard that most of us missed the next joke or line being said.

That being said, there are a couple of places where they are trying to show the fast-paced action of his campaign picking up momentum. In doing so, the music and sound f/x overpower the dialogue at times. It’s not often, but the mix could’ve been better.

Nevertheless, it’s a fun film and should bring a little life back into Williams’ career. Williams would have my vote for the presidency.
 

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