Election (1999)

7.2R99 minDirector: Alexander Payne

1999 film by Alexander Payne

Election is a 1999 American satirical black comedy film directed by Alexander Payne from a screenplay by Payne and Jim Taylor, based on Tom Perrotta's 1998 novel.

The plot revolves around a student body election and satirizes politics and high school life. The film stars Matthew Broderick as Jim McAllister, a popular high school social studies teacher, and Reese Witherspoon as Tracy Flick, a high-achieving student whom he dislikes. When Tracy runs for student government president, McAllister attempts to sabotage her candidacy by encouraging a rival candidate.

Election was released by Paramount Pictures on April 23, 1999. Although not a commercial success as it grossed $17.2 million against an $8.5–25 million budget, Election received widespread critical acclaim, along with an Academy Award nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay, a Golden Globe nomination for Witherspoon for Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, and three Independent Spirit Awards including Best Feature Film in 1999.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Election about?
Election (1999) — 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.
Is Election based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Election scary?
Content rating: R. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.
What is Election (1999) about? Plot, synopsis and ending explained — Screencodex