Just in time for the approaching U.S. state senator elections comes a movie about the politics of the south. With a former Hollywood actor-turned “The Governator” in California, and a growing media and tech-based culture, Man of the Year asks the question, could a celebrity comedian become president of the United States?
Following an audience member’s suggestion, late night comedy talk show host Tom Hobbs (Robin Williams) decides to run for presidency. Shocking the country, Hobbs, alongside his loyal manager Jack Menken (Christopher Walken), takes on America with his independent, non-partisan approach to politics. In an attempt to gain legitimacy in his campaign, Hobbs takes the serious approach to politics only to discover that laughter is the key to winning votes.
Triumphantly, the country marches to the polls and, using new electronic ballot boxes, Hobbs is elected President. However, there’s a glitch in the new voting system that has arbitrarily selected him as winner. The only person aware of this problem, Eleanor Green (Laura Linney) attempts to reveal the conspiracy. Facing pressure from the electronic balloting company to keep quiet, Green must uphold democratic ideals or be pushed around by big business.
Achieving redemption for his unexpected roles in Death to Smoochy and the creepy One Hour Photo, in Man of the Year Williams returns to his comedic roots Williams immediately ropes you in with his stand-up style of comedy, but his performance isn’t restricted to one-liners—throughout the movie, his academy award-winning acting is apparent. Known for being over-the-top in certain roles, such as Mrs. Doubtfire, Williams uses restraint to make his comedian-turned-president role seem realistic.
As a team, Christopher Walken and Williams make a synergetic duo. The pace is incredible between the two as seen in their intimate dialogues while on the campaign trail and throughout the movie. Unfortunately, because of the overambitious storylines, they’re both wasting their time.
Writer/Director Barry Levinson compromises solid acting throughout the cast, with his cloudy mixture of comedy, scandal and love story. As a comedy, would do well. But Levinson doesn’t have the tact to stop there, making the film boring and unnecessarily complex.
Levinson’s addition of a love story also fails to create interest. Without any elaboration, Levinson tries to make you believe the President would sacrifice his career for a woman he doesn’t know. He seems to be going for the ever-popular “love at first sight” approach but the deficit in story development makes the relationship look more like desperation than true love.
Boasting such an impressive cast of Oscar winners in Christopher Walken and Robin Williams, and Oscar nominees in Jeff Goldblum and Laura Linney, you would expect some sort of cinematic accomplishment. It goes to show that acting only makes up part of a successful film, good writing and directing must also be present.
Although the film introduces some interesting ideas concerning reliance on technology and the collision between pop culture and politics, too much is explored too little. The result is a hodgepodge of half-developed ideas and an under-utilised cast.
Levinson needs to make a decision on whether the film is a conspiracy thriller or a comedic love story because the two mix like oil and water. Instead of having a movie that’s dynamic and organic, you get a forced and strained flick that fails at actualising its themes.
Structured and thematic failings aside, Man of the Year is still worth a few sterling Robin Williams moments.
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