You might think Halloween started a month early with all of the horror films that arrived on Amazon Prime Video in September. And if you love the classics, it’s hard to go wrong with Universal’s original Dracula movie, The Wolf Man, The Mummy, and The Invisible Man. There’s a reason why those films have endured for the better part of a century. But for the month of September, the one Amazon Prime Video movie that you have to watch is Election.
Alexander Payne directed and co-wrote the script, which is based on Tom Perrotta’s novel of the same name. Election was released 25 years ago in April 1999, and it’s one of the all-time great political movies even though it revolves around a local high school’s student government election. Some things from this environment translate all too well in a larger political landscape. Since this movie is one of Amazon Prime Video’s latest arrivals, we’re sharing a few reasons why you should stream Election in September.
Reese Witherspoon’s Tracy Flick is an instant icon
Although it would be easy to dismiss Reese Witherspoon’s Tracy Flick as a parody of Hilary Clinton, her character has more depth than expected. On the outside, Tracy displays endless ambition to move up and claim the class presidency as her own, even though that would only make her a big fish in a small pond. Tracy always has her eyes on the larger prize, which includes college and likely a career in actual politics. She’s also cunning and ruthless, and willing to do just about anything to get ahead.
And yet the film also allows us to see that even Tracy is putting up a front. She escapes from the consequences of her actions more than once, but Tracy’s desperation and seething anger are on full display when things aren’t going her way. Those are the traits that she tries to hide, and they also make her more human. Witherspoon mastered all aspects of Tracy, from her facial expressions to her body language. She’s so good in the role that it made Tracy an iconic character.
Matthew Broderick perfectly embodies a man at the end of his rope
Tracy’s foil is the man in charge of Carver High School’s student government, Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick). Election arrived in theaters 13 years after his own breakout role in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and suddenly he was the teacher who was at odds with his clever student. Jim despises Tracy because she had an affair with a teacher who was his friend, which ultimately destroyed his career and his life. Jim is not only horrified by Tracy, he sees it as his duty to ensure that she doesn’t win the student presidency that she desperately craves.
Unfortunately for Jim, every step he takes to rig the election against Tracy backfires. Even Jim’s scheme to convince a popular football player, Paul Metzler (Chris Klein), to run against Tracy has unexpected consequences. We don’t even have to get into Jim’s deteriorating personal life and his increasing desperation. He’s betting everything on the outcome of the election, and it’s clear that he may have more to lose than any of the students that he’s supposed to be teaching.
The script is darkly satirical and frequently hilarious
As charming as Klein is as Paul, the late Jessica Campbell absolutely steals her part of the film as Paul’s disgruntled adoptive sister, Tammy Metzler. Tammy is bitter because her girlfriend dumped her for Paul, and she’s an outcast at the school. Tammy only runs for president out of spite before denouncing the entire election as a sham at a school rally that is both incredibly funny and 100% true.
Many of the film’s sharpest moments come when the focus is on Tammy, but even Chris’ story adds to the satire as he’s too good-natured to cast a vote for himself. The Metzler siblings get in the way of Jim’s schemes against Tracy, and that only makes the film even funnier.
It’s more timely than ever
As you’ve no doubt noticed by now, 2024 is another presidential election year. And while there aren’t many direct parallels between Election and the current race for the White House, it’s still striking to see some small similarities play out. Election is anything but a celebration of democracy, and the film eagerly exposes the hypocrisy of its two main characters.
Yet the humor goes a long way toward letting us laugh at the sheer ridiculousness of it. And if that helps anyone get through another bitter political season, then that’s the perfect excuse to watch Election again.
Watch Election on Prime Video.
