Radio Lady Reviews: "Man of the Year" with Robin Williams and Laura Linney

[Radio_Lady]

"Man of the Year" with Robin Williams

http://www.us.imdb.com/title/tt0483726 /

“Man of the Year” starring Robin Williams is at one and the same time funny, poignant and suspenseful. Williams plays Tom Dobbs (no relation to CNN’s Lou Dobbs), a successful TV talk show comedian who becomes a U.S. Presidential candidate.

Williams is excellent at delivering the laughs but also delves into something quite rare…a politician with integrity who evidences more concern for our citizens and country than for the moneyed special interests. In a debate with the Democrat and Republican challengers, he shames them for their conduct. (Oh, if it were only true in real life!)

Barry Levinson is responsible for this excellent script and he directed as well. Laura Linney turns in another top performance in the role of Eleanor Greene. She plays a voting machine company employee who discovers a major glitch in the counting algorithm.

Levinson adds substantial suspense as we follow Eleanor (Linney) into a boiling cauldron of grave danger. She investigates the outcome of the election. Then, she attempts to reveal a voting machine problem…one that is being covered up by her bosses who are eager to do anything to silence and discredit her. Jeff Goldblum is menacing in a supporting role of corporate villain. Christopher Walken and comedian Lewis Black add their considerable comedic stylings. Chris Matthews, the cable TV personality, plays himself and seems to be having a good time.

“Man of the Year” is good fun and very timely entertainment. See it before November 7 and at least feel good before the election… maybe after, too?

I rate “Man of the Year” a B+ on Ellen's Entertainment Report card… The election? Stay tuned... and we can either cheer or jeer together!

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for language including some crude sexual references, drug related material, and brief violence.
Runtime: USA:115 min
Country: USA
Language: English
Color: Color
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[peekaloo]

1. Thanks. I want to see it.

You know, you could add the word "with" in that sentence about Tweety's appearance.......

[Radio_Lady]

2. Hi Peekaloo -- from Ft. Myers, Florida -- thanks for your comment.

There won't be a better time to see this movie -- especially here on the west coast of Florida, where it's expected to be 87 degrees this afternoon and very humid!

I'm so glad I live in the Pacific Northwest. It's beautiful here for a couple of weeks!

Thanks for the post!

[Radio_Lady]

3. Your personal information is quite funny!

State: Confusion
Country: United States of Amnesia

Let's hope this election begins to address the above in a positive way! We've run into a few Democrats here and NO Republicans!

[peekaloo]

4. I stole the country line from Gore Vidal.

[Radio_Lady]

5. Well, he's a good person to plagarize! I've always enjoyed listening to

and reading his thoughts.

Thanks for the wave!

In peace,

Radio_Lady in Florida!

[Radio_Lady]

6. Peekaloo, I just got your joke about Chris Matthews...

I always wonder what those anchor people do under their desks during station breaks.

{{{Ribald laughter heard far and near}}}

[Radio_Lady]

7. Variety reviewer John Anderson's take on the film --

http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117931789?categoryId=3...

Man of the Year


By JOHN ANDERSON

Like today's fractious, fragmented state of the union, Barry Levinson's "Man of the Year" is a curious hybrid -- a political/action/comedy/thriller in which Robin Williams becomes president of the United States. A movie as uneven as it sounds, "Man" is less laugh-out-loud funny than topical and suspenseful, but pic could be achieve a modest B.O. vote.

Computer wonk Eleanor Green (Laura Linney in tour de force perf) knows her company's new electronic voting machine has a glitch, one that might skew the outcome of the upcoming presidential election. Her boss, Hemmings (Rick Roberts), poohs-poohs her doubts, but secretly panics; his evil lieutenant Stewart (Jeff Goldblum) plots to have Eleanor attacked and injected with a cocktail of recreational drugs, so she will lose all her credibility and won't be able to harm the company, Delacroy Voting Systems.

(snipped)

What becomes the moral dilemma of the movie, though, is whether the country is better off letting Tom keep the job of president -- he's obviously the most decent and well-intentioned candidate -- or not.

"Man of the Year" is a fruity member on the family tree of "Meet John Doe," "Dave" and any number of other populist political fantasies, but Levinson also critiques current events, the media and the political system itself. Sometimes this is done pointedly, sometimes offhandedly: The appearance of Chris Matthews, Catherine Cryer and James Carville, playing TV pundits, makes one wonder if news people are at all concerned about their own credibility.

MORE AT LINK ABOVE --

[Rambis]

8. self delete

x

[wildhorses]

9. thanks for the review.

I love the pic in your sigline.

saw The Departed last week-end.

[Kajsa]

10. Thanks, RadioLady.

I can't wait to see it.

Robin Williams is one of my favorites
and the trailer is hilarious!

Just the idea of Robin as Prez. puts a
big smile on my face.

[applegrove]

11. Thanks. I'll put that on my list of things to see.

[Broken_Hero]

12. sounds like a decent movie

I'll probably pick it up on dvd though...