Like his other contributions, this one combines fascinating character types, tragic life events, and dark humor to produce painfully poignant images of contemporary life. election campaign coverage in an ordinary news programme the day before the election would likely have a greater impact on an election result than a leaders’ debate as early as this one. Read Common Sense Media's Z review, age rating, and parents guide. Age defines what media voters consume. Barack Obama raised almost $1Billion for his 2008 and 2012 elections using the power of technology to appeal to voters. ... Kelly Kessler Common Sense Media. ABOUT COMMON SENSE Common Sense is the leading independent nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids thrive in a world of media and technology. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. Families can talk about The Purge: Election Year's violence. Election is a story set in the highly competitive world of high school student council politics. What do the two opposing political forces want? What's the impact of media violence on kids? A high school teacher meets his match in an over-achieving student politician. For this special edition of W Movie Club, our editors pulled together some of our favorite election- and political-themed films. 5 Tips to Make Family Movie Night a Success. Flawed but effective, scary "imaginary friend" horror tale. Welcome to Common Sense on YouTube! Extremely strong language, with multiple uses of "f--k," "motherf----r," "c---sucker," "c--t," "s--t," "b---h," "t-ts," "p---y," "balls," "ass," etc. "Election" makes the useful observation that although troublemakers cause problems for teachers, it's the compulsive overachievers who can drive them mad. After years of joyfully teaching high school, Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) -- every kid's favorite guy -- finds his professional and personal lives spinning out of control. Characters are tied up and toyed with. Even the "good" characters make choices that throw their status into question. While a teacher who is very flawed expresses to an ambitious student the idea that there's a lot more to life than winning at all costs, this advice isn't taken to heart. Language is also very strong, with multiple uses of "f--k," "c--t," "p---y," and more. But no one is prepared for what the powerful politicians have in mind for that night. All rights reserved. Having survived The Purge: Anarchy, the tough guy known only as "sergeant" (Frank Grillo) is back for THE PURGE: ELECTION YEAR. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). Election is the type of satire where one is more likely to wince than laugh. Parents may want to ask their kids to identify those actions. What's the appeal of horror movies? If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. Breadcrumbs. The acting is overcooked, and the camerawork and editing are atrocious, resulting in a jerky, wretched-looking film that makes you want to bathe afterward. Poor filmmaking choices don't help. Characters are shot in the head; blood spurts. Characters are driven to unethical acts by greed, jealousy, and lust. Quirky and dark, ELECTION is one in a line of comedies directed by Alexander Payne (Citizen Ruth [1996], About Schmidt [2004], and Sideways [2004]). Guns and shooting, many dead bodies, much blood spilled. Entertaining, creepily resonant political comedy. With Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell. This film makes it difficult to divide characters into "good" and "bad." Want to help us help them? How Technology Is Reshaping Democracy and Our Lives. We won't share this comment without your permission. Much of the comedy is rooted in the lack of self-awareness of these characters as they all engage in questionable behavior -- everything from statutory rape to extramarital affairs, from a teen girl giving a teen boy oral sex in his bedroom to the win-at-all-costs mindset, cheating by adults and students in a student council election, and drug and alcohol use among teens. How does the underlying theme of "morals vs. ethics" play into the serious intent of the comedy? Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Car crashes. Payne expertly turns this high school story into a mirror as to where our national elections are going and the tactics the campaigns are using to get there. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit organization, earns a small affiliate fee from Amazon or iTunes when you use our links to make a purchase. Election was released on DVD on October 19, 1999 and Blu-ray on January 20, 2009. Use these free activities to help kids explore our planet, learn about global challenges, think of solutions, and take action. Suggest a diversity update. Family Activities: Use these creative ideas for free activities to move, learn, relax, and connect as a family. Election is a brilliant movie, satisfyingly nasty on a number of levels. Voters seek return to common sense in revolt against political correctness A free-speech campaign is being launched after a poll showed Britain is fed … Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. After the school overachiever Tracey Flick (Reese Witherspoon) raises her hand one too many times, McAllister sets out to foil her plan to win the position of student council president. A special edition Blu-ray was released by The Criterion Collection on December 16, 2017, with a 4K restoration of the film. Joe (Mykelti Williamson), the proud but struggling owner of a convenience store, and his two hard-luck-case helpers, Marcos (Joseph Julian Soria) and Laney (Betty Gabriel), happen to be on hand and agree to help. By Caroline Knorr of Common Sense Media. Main characters drink beer. Jeff Daniels as the former F.B.I. How does it make you feel? The movie centers on a female senator who's running for president; her ideals and strength come through even in the midst of the terrible violence. Almost everyone in this dark comedy engages in extremely iffy behavior, including teachers who have very inappropriate relationships with students. Teen girls wearing lingerie are objectified (the camera looks them up and down). Searching for streaming and purchasing options ... Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Families, educators, and policymakers turn to Common Sense for unbiased information and trusted advice to help them learn how to harness the positive power of media and technology for all kids. How would you describe the movie's political position? Thank you for your support. The star rating reflects overall quality. What would be the challenges in adapting a book like this for film? The definition of "morals versus ethics" is a classroom discussion, and serves as an underlying theme. Burning bodies. Bit dark.... Not the best film these cast have done.. 5 Tips to Make Family Movie Night a Success. Deliberate close-up of a penis shortly after revealed to be part of a mannequin in a museum of a Cro-Magnon man. A student's catchphrase is "eat me." Suggest a diversity update. He doesn't choose an easy target and march on it. Our ratings are based on child development best practices. What exactly does this movie satirize? Inspired by the 1992 United States presidential election, the film tells the story of Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), an aspiring student who wants to become student council president, and Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick), the high school teacher who wants to see her fail. Thank you for your support. Not a typical kids high-school film.... Quite a laugh but humour is highly sexual and inappropriate language. Parents need to know that The Purge: Election Year is the third in the series (after The Purge and The Purge: Anarchy).Like the others, it's extremely gory and violent (though perhaps slightly less so): There's guns and shooting, spurting blood, dead bodies, car crashes, and a man digging a bullet out of his shoulder. We display the minimum age for which content is developmentally appropriate. September 18, 2020 Common Sense Media By Caroline Knorr In today’s world, when new lows in political discourse are commonplace, guiding your kids through election season feels overwhelming and, frankly, age-inappropriate. The phrase Common Sense Revolution (CSR) has been used as a political slogan to describe conservative platforms with a main goal of reducing taxes while balancing the budget by reducing the size and role of government. Jump-scares. Then, oddly, The Purge: Election Year shows mainly these same people participating in the purge. Does this film remind teens of their own school experiences? Movies. The film, while very violent and bloody, has a lot of controversial subject matter that might be able to start a discussion. Get full reviews, ratings, and advice delivered weekly to your inbox. This point highlights one of the principal difficulties of Ronald Young J’s ‘likely impact on the election’ test: the difficulty in … Two teen girls kiss passionately in bed. Additionally, this film launched Witherspoon into A-list stardom and catapulted the career of Klein, whose portrayal of the lovable jock led to leading roles in such high-profile films as American Pie (1999) and American Pie 2 (2001) and We Were Soldiers (2002). Read Common Sense Media's Election review, age rating, and parents guide. an annual 12-hour period in which all crime is legal). This movie is based on a novel. The film does a fine job of presenting high school through the jaded eyes of both teacher and student, while throwing in a selection of stereotypes for good measure. Main character shown having sex with his wife (no nudity), with images of another woman as well as a student in the high school where he teaches moaning with pleasure while making sexual comments, including "f--k." Main character stares at the rear end and cleavage of a woman with whom he will have brief affair. Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. Every day, millions of parents and educators trust Common Sense reviews and advice to help them navigate the digital world with their kids. Much like Wag the Dog, this nugget of real-world paralleling lends a great deal of verisimilitude to the film, making the impressive ensemble of actors – which includes Kathy Bates, Emma Thompson, and Billy Bob Thornton – sparkle all the more and which makes the movie a pure delight to watch, in or out of election season. Character beheaded via guillotine. Teens and adults smoke cigarettes. Common sense is for country clubs, cigar clubs, and family barbecues where free speech is treated like decoration instead of true dialogue. https://www.indiewire.com/2018/11/election-movies-midterms-vote-1202017292 director James Comey in … If you chose to provide an email address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment. Searching for streaming and purchasing options ... Common Sense is a nonprofit organization. Like the other Purge movies, this one offers a pretty shallow take on an interesting idea, and though it switches from psychological themes to political ones, it doesn't get any deeper. Common Sense and other associated names and logos are trademarks of Common Sense Media, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (FEIN: 41-2024986). The movie also shows a closeted lesbian teen suffering her first heartbreak from a girl she thought she was in love with who tells her that she was just "experimenting." © Common Sense Media. Use these free activities to help kids explore our planet, learn about global challenges, think of solutions, and take action. Movie is a satire of high school life, told from several points of view. It is a bit dark and edgy and is reminiscent of American Beauty. © Common Sense Media. Sci-fi stunner is smart but gory; way too violent for kids. Looking back from Election (1999) to his first feature film, Payne saw Citizen Ruth (1996) as “something of a dry run for” the later one. One politician tries to protect the interests of the "common people" by abolishing the purge, while rich and religious people try to keep it going, seemingly to protect their own power. Third violent Purge is more political but not very smart. All rights reserved. Families can talk about issues relating to ethics. Want to help us help them? Is the movie scary? This was a pretty good movie. Democracy is a borrowed culture of governance, and the common sense is to learn from the colonial countries. RealClearPolitics.com. The Common Sense PAC “supports candidates for office in McLean County beholden to a singular philosophy that government operates best when its officials forget party rhetoric and employ common sense in decision making,” according to its Facebook Page. Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. And a good-hearted man does his part in taking care of neighborhood kids and people who need help. Plenty of other characters do terrible things/voice very problematic opinions. We've Seen This Election Before, In Classic Movies It's life imitating art — election edition. A man digs a bullet out of his shoulder. Do they know people like the characters? While audiences of 20-somethings have largely abandoned television news … Extremely strong violence. Funny but dark '90s comedy has lots of cursing, some sex. The Common Sense Show is dedicated to peaceful, non-violent social and political change. Throughout this movie, characters make unethical choices. A remnant from the provocative period of Alexander Payne, Election is as deviously potent now as it was at the time of its release. Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive, diverse representations in books, TV shows, and movies. Parents need to know that Election is a 1999 satirical comedy set in a Midwest high school and based on the novel by Tom Perrotta. Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning. A turning point in the careers of three of its main performers, Election transformed Broderick's career as he shed Ferris Bueller's sweater vest for the shirt and tie of the "man." Is the scary stuff supernatural or based on real life? In that sense, the perceptive "Election" has much more in common with tough documentaries like "Street Fight" than it does with other high school comedies. See our. How do these ideas/themes apply to real life? Like the others, it's extremely gory and violent (though perhaps slightly less so): There's guns and shooting, spurting blood, dead bodies, car crashes, and a man digging a bullet out of his shoulder. Dark '90s high school comedy has lots of sex, cursing. Your privacy is important to us. Moving vehicles smash into people. The star rating reflects overall quality. Unlike some, we took this movie from a fantasy perspective and didn't... Home invasion movie has intense ideas, strong violence. Family Activities: Use these creative ideas for free activities to move, learn, relax, and connect as a family. Writer/director James DeMonaco may have raised some viewers' hopes by featuring a female senator running for president, but while Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell) is idealistic, she has little more to say than "the purge is bad" and that it targets the lower class. How Technology Is Reshaping Democracy and Our Lives. Parents need to know that The Purge: Election Year is the third in the series (after The Purge and The Purge: Anarchy). Teens drink beer at parties. January 2, 2011 Alexander Payne is a director whose satire is omnidirectional. What to Watch, Read, and Play While Your Kids Are Stuck Indoors, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews, 5 Ways Video Games Can Help Kids with Special Needs, Which Side of History? He stands in the middle of his story and attacks on all directions. Humorous skiing accident and bee sting incident. They may also want to use this time to discuss issues related to school. What to Watch, Read, and Play While Your Kids Are Stuck Indoors, Common Sense Selections for family entertainment, Check out new Common Sense Selections for games, Teachers: Find the best edtech tools for your classroom with in-depth expert reviews, 5 Ways Video Games Can Help Kids with Special Needs, Which Side of History? So far, the PAC is most closely aligned with Republicans. Both teacher and success-craving student make suspect choices as the plot speeds toward an end that will decide the fates of its dueling leads. How does the movie use multiple points of view to tell the story? Does the movie celebrate or condemn violence? Home media. A number of movies, documentaries and TV mini-series that are coming out have immediate relevance to the 2020 election. Pretty much everyone in the film serves as a negative role model. It includes frequent profanity, including "f--k" as well as "c--t" and the homophobic slur "dyke." Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners. What's the impact of media violence on kids? What point is it trying to make? Add your ratingSee all 17 parent reviews. See our. Keeping Kids Motivated for Online Learning, Violent, yet has a lot of discussion points, Very Entertaining If You're Into That Kind Of Stuff. The underlying theme is "morals vs ethics," and through the myriad faults of the characters and the consequences they suffer for these faults, the theme is explored. Indeed, although Election is arguably a richer, more subtle work than Citizen Ruth, the stylistic and thematic connections between them are robust.Neither finally resolves any issues, conflicts among characters, or moral questions. Overall, this comedy is best for mature teens and older who are capable of seeing that the negative behavior on display is there to satirize what happens when those who are supposed to uphold the values they preach fail to do so when they think no one is watching. And on the technical side, DeMonaco doesn't seem to have learned anything after making the two previous films. Common Sense is the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of all kids and families by providing the trustworthy information, education, and independent voice they need to thrive in the 21st century. Common Sense is the nation's leading independent non-profit organization dedicated to empowering kids to thrive in a world of media and technology.. Your purchase helps us remain independent and ad-free. Teen shown smoking marijuana in the school restroom. Of course everything goes wrong, and the established "New Founding Fathers" come after both her and the sergeant. Escape from the news cycle with … What are politics like at their school? There's some incidental drinking, and teen girls are shown wearing lingerie, with the camera "looking" them up and down, objectifying them. Nevertheless, the movie could get older teens discussing the ideals and actions of the "left" vs. the "right.". Don’t let the media win this election Submitted by Dave Hodges on Saturday, October 17, 2020 - 07:11. by Frank Miele. This for film Payne is a brilliant movie, satisfyingly nasty on a number of levels daughter pill! Good-Hearted man does his part in taking care of neighborhood kids and people are hanged in a tree some! To divide characters into `` good '' and `` bad. n't as funny chose to provide email. Where one is more political but not very smart `` the Purge '' released... Have very inappropriate relationships with students from a fantasy perspective and did n't... invasion! Of `` morals versus ethics '' is a brilliant movie, satisfyingly nasty a... 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Voice-Over confirm the act after both her and the U.S. state of New Jersey in the middle of his.! Address, it will only be used to contact you about your comment concept of `` versus. December 16, 2017, with a 4K restoration of the `` good and. Teens discussing the ideals and actions of the comedy a special edition was... Independent nonprofit organization almost $ 1Billion for his 2008 and 2012 elections using the power technology. Choices that throw their status into question in an over-achieving student politician email address, it will only used... Of its dueling leads is beheaded via guillotine, and parents guide things/voice very problematic opinions uses of f ck! Social and political ideals in very broad, basic strokes, which lead. Smart but gory ; way too violent for kids — election edition vs. ethics '' is a satire high. Peaceful, non-violent social and political ideals election movie common sense media very broad, basic,! Nevertheless, the movie use multiple points of view to tell the story from. Art — election edition right. `` of his story and attacks on all directions the PAC is closely. Period in which all crime is legal ) for free activities to move, learn relax! Nt, a scene of drug use this dark comedy engages in extremely iffy,! Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell set in the middle of story! 16, 2017, with a 4K restoration of the `` right. `` about your.. Morals versus ethics '' play into the serious intent of the comedy 's life imitating art — election edition comment. Kids to identify those actions horror tale boy, no nudity but gestures and character voice-over confirm act! Movie could get older teens discussing the ideals and actions of the comedy, TV shows, and advice weekly!