Just had a delightful evening. (Yes, the BBQ at Phillip’s is the best in town, in case you were wondering. We went to the new one on Adams and Crenshaw where they kind of sort of have seats in the parking lot.)
We went and saw Swing Vote in a half-empty theater in Culver City.
I’m going to make it my mission to start filling those seats, because I thought it was one of the most delightful and important movies I’ve seen this year. Yes, I saw and loved Batman and Wall-E – and The Band’s Visit.
But I think this movie was made for me, the guy who loves America because a nation full of Bud Johnsons gets to pick the President. And who believes that given the opportunity, most people will do the right thing – as both Presidential candidates, Bud, and a host of other characters in the movie finally do.
Yes, it’s Capra-esque and that’s a mine that has been well worked since the master laid down his tools. And no, it isn’t incisive or brilliantly sharp. But you know, when the form works, it works. And this movie works and sells you on the possibility of goodness. I’m kind of tired of movies that revel in denying goodness and work to crush it wherever it might be found. The movie is a valentine to the America we all can – and should – love, and no one ought to reject a Valentine.
More later…
bq. But I think this movie was made for me, the guy who loves America because a nation full of Bud Johnsons gets to pick the President.
Is that so? I’m sure the majority of Americans who don’t look or act like the character portrayed by Bud Johnson would be sorta shocked to hear that.
The real “Bud Johnson” of course is someone far far richer and better connected. Those who populate our dysfunctional media and ruling classes. Sad to say that most Americans realize that those are the people who really get to “pick the President”.
I don’t think wearing rose colored glasses is the solution to what ails us.
The passage of values and behavioral standards is so essential to culture that I can’t think of a single other concept that supersedes it. Marriage has been, for thousands of years, about some sort of guarantee that the “accidents” of child production are guaranteed a father. I have no idea how same sex marriage exhibits the slightest respect for this tradition, and there are more than a few reasons to think it undermines that essential function. This has nothing to do with sexual preference. It has everything to do with the survival of the “last liberal culture”. (And by ‘liberal’ I clearly don’t mean social democratic. I mean “liberal” in the sense of a government by the people rather than a government by the know-it-alls.)
bq. [T]he character portrayed by Bud Johnson
“Bud Johnson” is the name of the character. The actor is named Kevin Costner, and Costner looks to be trying to channel another actor, Billy Bob Thornton, but I might be wrong about that as I haven’t seen the movie yet.
Or were you being utterly oblique and pomo and meaning that Costner the public figure / actor is a character portrayed by the Bud Johnson character he was portraying?
bq. The real “Bud Johnson” of course is someone far far richer and better connected. Those who populate our dysfunctional media and ruling classes.
“Those” is plural and “the real ‘Bud Johnson'” [sic] is singular.
I think I get your gist, but these things made it hard to tell.
Lastly, are you sure “dysfunctional” is the right word? Don’t you mean to say something more like “evil” or “fascist”?
Just trying to get calibrated here, not mocking.