5.20.2007

Man of the Year (2006)

What I appreciate about this film is the cultural currency of it. The film is truthfully told through the eyes of comedy and corruption.

Robin Williams, of course, steals the show. Without watching the bonus features, I am certain the director gave him full license to go off unrestrained - both comedically and politically. I saw him on CNN during a revival of Comedy Relief last fall and he was repeating a lot of the same political views he shared in the film.

The film is very political, but in a funny way like John Stewart, so no one gets offended. And for that I can fault it; You can really walk away from the film and not feel too affected.

The side plot involves a couple bad guys who are one-dimensional. I suppose they didn't have a choice as it would have been quite boring to dwell on these two greedy do-badders. And I found that part of the story - the suspenseful part - not too intriguing. I think they could have gone further into the political sphere and how the interest groups and lobbyists control the government - which was Williams' character's platform to begin with. Kind of like writing the three little pigs and throwing the wicked witch of the west in as the villain.

I enjoyed how the film was very much like television in its portrayal. You feel either behind the scenes, or watching the news or a news magazine. Some of the quotes relating to television were quite informative too - like how the majority of people watch the news through comedians. Reminds me of U2's song If God Would Send His Angels:

And the cartoon network turns into the news
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