Dave

1993's DAVE is another of those wish fulfilment stories that dares to imagine a President of the United States who actually tries to help his public.  Who is caring and honest and wants to do the right thing.  Maybe several of them in the real world had those intentions, but, you know how it goes.   In movies like this and THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT and the television program The West Wing, the very highest of public servants reveals a humanity that isn't always apparent in their real life counterparts.  We may scoff at how unrealistic they are portrayed in fiction, how simplistic their sketches.  But in an era of Trump and others who don't exactly resemble our composites of the ideal candidate, a movie like DAVE is a real tonic.

Gary Ross' screenplay stretches implausibility to its breaking point, yet within it, it all seems like it could happen.  This is a very well plotted movie.

It so happens that an Everyman named Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) looks just like the current POTUS - Bill Mitchell (also Kline, of course).  Dave runs a temp agency in D.C. and also takes gigs appearing in car commercials pretending to be the Prez.  Good practice for when a new gig falls in his lap.  The Secret Service, run by the rather unpleasant Duane Stevenson (Frank Langella), recruits him to double for Mitchell following a speech.  While the President, another unpleasant and duplicitous bastard, meets his secretary for an assignation. 

Dave pulls it off, little dreaming he would have to assume the role a bit longer after Mitchell suffers a stroke, leaving him in a coma, during the throes of passion.  With coaching from Stevenson and Chief of Staff Bob Alexander (Kevin Dunn), Dave will manage to convince everyone from the Senate on down to John Q. Public that he in fact is the Commander in Chief.  You may have questions at this point, like why the Vice Prez, Gary Nance (Ben Kingsley) isn't called up.  Seems crafty Bob is gunning for the top job himself, and implicates Nance in a Savings and Loan scandal.

And what about the First Lady, Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver)? She and the mister have been on the outs for some time, sleeping a corridor apart and only acknowledging each other when the public is watching.  Will she be convinced that Dave, who immediately shows more compassion to constituent and citizen alike, is the real deal?

Director Ivan Reitman fashions this lighthearted comedy with all the usual '90s Hollywood tropes.  James Newton Howard's score is as prototypical as it gets for this sort of thing.  Ross isn't going for cutthroat satire (which this easily could've been), but rather a feel good imagining that maybe life could actually be this way.  That a President would not cut funding for homeless shelters, and actually divert military funding to that end.  As if!  The film plays all the notes, but somewhere along the way finds its own sweet rhythm and won me over.  This is an intelligent comedy without devolving into easy vulgarity or cynicism.  Some of Reitman's best work.

The cast is ideal.  Even though it would not be hard to see Tom Hanks in this/these role(s), Kline is perfect, especially as the befuddled Dave, a kind and insightful human.  Weaver's patented strong femininity is well utilized. Langella plays another convincing uppity asshole. Charles Grodin is on hand as Dave's pal and does his hilarious shtick; he needn't even say anything, his hair is funny enough. Nice role for Kingsley too.  There are several cameos from actual Beltway politicians and news people.  Also a few celebrities, one of whom is a Reitman regular.  The bit with Oliver Stone and Larry King is brilliant.