In the American election of 2000, Al Gore polled more votes than George W. Bush; but lost, owing to the disproportional nature of the way that votes are counted. Even then, Bush owed his victory to a win in Florida by a margin so narrow that normal democratic practice would have been to recount. But the recount was blocked by a Supreme Court ruling, issued by judges who had mostly been appointed by Bush's Republican party. 'Recount' reconstructs the legal proceedings following election day as a drama-documentary. As such, it's interesting, piecing together the process; but it's not completely satisfactory. One problem is its own political stance. One view is simple: the Republicans stole the election. But another view says that both sides were only fighting their corners; and as the Gore campaign sought not just that votes be counted again, but also that they be counted differently, the issue was not so clear cut. If the voters have not been given machines to vote on that work properly, that's terrible, but it's also hard to fix after election day. 'Recount' generally supports the second view, and doesn't directly allege Republican wickedness; but somehow, most of the Democrats portrayed are more personally sympathetic than their Republican peers. The film feels like the attempt of liberals trying to be neutral - the result is less authoritative than pure documentary, but muted as polemic. That said, if Laura Dern's portrayal of Florida Secretary of State Katharine Harris is not libellous, then this is even more alarming than if it isn't. Another issue is with the use of the starry cast: having Kevin Spacey in the lead, playing a relatively unknown Democratic campaigner, reminds you of who you are actually watching and not whom he is supposed to be.
Although often criticised as an unsophisticated oaf, Michael Moore, in 'Fahrenheit 911', made some interesting points about how the election decision can be seen as part of a wider process disempowering poor (and especially black) America. The real question is perhaps, not whether this judgement was wrong but whether one could imagine the same decision being taken in the opposite direction. And as I write on the possible eve of Barack Obama's election, that question seems as pertinent as ever.
Although often criticised as an unsophisticated oaf, Michael Moore, in 'Fahrenheit 911', made some interesting points about how the election decision can be seen as part of a wider process disempowering poor (and especially black) America. The real question is perhaps, not whether this judgement was wrong but whether one could imagine the same decision being taken in the opposite direction. And as I write on the possible eve of Barack Obama's election, that question seems as pertinent as ever.