Election (1999)
87%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 Oscar
16 wins & 34 nominations total
Election successfully combines dark humor and intelligent writing in this very witty and enjoyable film
Election is a hilarious and biting satire that will have you laughing and cringing at the same time. With Reese Witherspoon’s perfect portrayal of the overachieving Tracy Flick and Matthew Broderick’s hilarious turn as the hapless teacher caught in her web, this movie is a must-see for anyone who’s ever been involved in a high school election (or any election, really). And with its scarily relevant commentary on politics and power, it’s a movie that will stay with you long after the credits roll. So grab some popcorn and get ready to laugh (and maybe cry a little too).
Production Company(ies)
Twentieth Century Fox, Gordon Company, Silver Pictures,
Distributor
Paramount Pictures, MTV Productions
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
5011 Cass Street, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for strong sexuality, sex-related dialogue and language, and a scene of drug use
Year of Release
1999
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital SDDS DTS
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Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
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Runtime:1h 43m
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Language(s):English, Spanish
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Country of origin:Hong Kong
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 7, 1999 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 15, 2012
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Mark Harelik, Phil Reeves, directed by Alexander Payne, written by Tom Perrotta, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor, comedy, box office performance, budget, reviewed by Noel Murray, David Ansen, Lisa Alspector, J.R Jones, Ted Anthony, Jay Carr, Matthew Broderick as James T ‘Jim’ McAllister, Reese Witherspoon as Tracy Enid Flick, Chris Klein as Paul Metzler, Jessica Campbell as Tammy Metzler, Mark Harelik as Dave Novotny, Phil Reeves as Principal Walter ‘Walt’ F Hendricks, produced by Albert Berger, David Gale, Keith Samples, Ron Yerxa, R rating, high school, student body, election, satire, dark humor, intelligent writing, witty, enjoyable film, unethical tactics, successful student, government teacher, popular student athlete, secret involvement, bitter feud, scathing, political satire, nuanced characters, comic precision, original, breakout role, subtle, sharp irony, ethics, morality, smart, underrated, Netflix
Worldwide gross: $14,902,041
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,749,579
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,587
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,917,075
US/Canada gross: $14,902,041
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,749,579
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,307
US/Canada opening weekend: $119,080
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $213,752
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,643
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $25,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $44,875,697
Production budget ranking: 870
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $24,165,563
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): -$42,291,681
ROI to date (est.): -61%
ROI ranking: 1,758
Reese Witherspoon – Tracy Enid Flick
Chris Klein – Paul Metzler
Jessica Campbell – Tammy Metzler
Mark Harelik – Dave Novotny
Phil Reeves – Principal Walter ‘Walt’ F. Hendricks
Albert Berger – Producer
David Gale – Producer
Keith Samples – Producer
Ron Yerxa – Producer
Alexander Payne – Director, Writer
Tom Perrotta – Writer
Jim Taylor – Writer
Director(s)
Alexander Payne
Writer(s)
Tom Perrotta, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor
Producer(s)
Albert Berger, David Gale, Keith Samples, Ron Yerxa
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 Oscar
16 wins & 34 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (115) | Top Critics (31) | Fresh (106) | Rotten (9)
Broderick gives a wonderfully nebbishy performance, and the filmmakers do a fine job of using visual cues to define the smallness of his world.
September 30, 2019
Noel Murray
The Verge
TOP CRITIC
The comedy may not resonate as deeply as the well-named Payne intends, but between Witherspoon’s exuberant solipsism and Broderick’s talent for absorbing massive humiliation, the chuckles keep coming like poisoned darts.
March 3, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
The treatment of this touchy material is impressive, neither gratuitous nor mincing, but this 1999 satirical comedy doesn’t really go anywhere.
August 24, 2010
Lisa Alspector
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
An instant classic, Alexander Payne’s 1999 high school comedy seems even more scathing now that we’re losing control of our own election machinery.
August 24, 2010
J. R. Jones
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Election at first has the feel of a simple work. But don’t let that fool you; it’s a complex, deep tale.
August 24, 2010
Ted Anthony
Associated Press
TOP CRITIC
You’ve got to laugh at Witherspoon’s tightly wound Little Miss Perfect, rising at dawn to do her hair and encase herself in a preppy look before baking cupcakes to pass out at school as vote-getters in her campaign for student council president.
August 25, 2007 | Rating: 3/4
Jay Carr
Boston Globe
TOP CRITIC
A movie of unexpected savagery and caustic wit.
September 18, 2021 | Rating: 4/4
Matt Brunson
Film Frenzy
[It] remains scarily relevant and on-the-nose.
May 10, 2021
Nick Levine
NME
The young Reese Witherspoon leads with her determined chin as single-minded go-getter Tracy Flick…
November 10, 2020
Alison Gillmor
Winnipeg Free Press
A remnant from the provocative period of Alexander Payne, Election is as deviously potent now as it was at the time of its release.
August 26, 2020 | Rating: 3.5/5
Nicholas Bell
IONCINEMA.com
Suffers from a tyrannical sameness of tone where Payne doesn’t trust his audience to ‘get’ the crashing subtext, so he batters them over the head with it for nearly two hours
November 8, 2018 | Rating: 3/5
PJ Nabarro
Patrick Nabarro
Alexander Payne’s Election remains one of the best political satire comedies of all time.
November 6, 2018
Danielle Solzman
Solzy at the Movies…
Plot
The high school Class President election is approaching and it looks like Tracy Flick is going to win, unopposed. However, teacher Jim McAllister has other plans. He convinces jock Paul Metzler to run, sparking off an interesting chain of events.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
The film features a breakout role from Reese Witherspoon as the determined and ambitious student Tracy Flick.
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