Dave (1993)

So much average

Don't listen to the negative reviews

It's fun, it's light, [but] it has a hard time when its tries to get heavy.

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

The tagline, "In a country where anybody can become President, anybody just did" was probably funnier before November 2016.Dave is a cute dramedy about an ordinary guy who finds himself posing as the POTUS. In the real world, this would overwhelm a person, but Kevin Kline finds it a simple thing, thanks to his sleazy Chief of Staff, Frank Langella at his most unctuous.A fairly lightweight movie, Dave manages to avoid questions about the majesty of the office, and deals mainly in rom-com situations. Ivan Reitman is -- probably correctly -- making this a lightweight fluff piece, and not a deep politico-social statement. Kline and Weaver make it work without heavy lifting, and it's an enjoyable, non-taxing diversion for two hours. Think House of Cards without the angst.

Kevin Kline dominates the screen as a man, hired as a lookalike to the President of the United States, takes the job when the real President is totally incapacitated. The powers that be need someone who can attend meetings, make pronouncements, speak to the nation, but under their total control. The man he is replacing is an insensitive jerk (imagine that) who has alienated people, but who has ruled with a big stick. The problem for the advisers and those in the cabinet is that Dave begins to see the bad things that are being done. Of course, at some point he is going to do something that will begin to cause problems for the people trying to control him. The cool thing about this movie is that things aren't simple. It's not like Groucho Marx has become President. Dave is a sensitive, realistic guy who has to face the consequences of his rebellious stances. See this. It is an underrated gem.

Dave is a political comedy about a man who was asked to stand-in for the President of the United States after the latter suffered a stroke that left him incapacitated. It features Kevin Kline in the title role together with a talented supporting cast led by Sigourney Weaver,Frank Langella,Charles Grodin,Kevin Dunn and Ben Kingsley.Dave Kovic runs an employment agency and he also possesses a striking resemblance to the current President of the United States,Bill Mitchell.One day,he gets a call from the Secret Service and was asked to stand in for the President.Too bad that a day's work was extended after President Mitchell suffered a stroke that left him in coma.Too avoid major repercussions in the White House,Dave was asked to extend his day's work into a month's work that leads to unforeseen consequences and surprising results that the President has made especially in helping the poor and fighting the corrupt system imposed in the government.This is definitely a charming film that everyone would definitely enjoy.It was Capra-esque as we get to see the theme of an ordinary person fight against a superior evil forces imposed in a system.Added to that,one would definitely enjoy Kevin Kline's performance as it was full of authenticity and charm that one would simply enjoy Dave as a person.Aside from that,the lampooning of the political system was definitely enjoyable and laughable especially for viewers who hate corrupt people in the government.No wonder even former President Bill Clinton enjoyed it a lot.Despite its predictability and Dave being portrayed as a subtle liberal that may offend conservatives,it was still a movie to delight with for many years to come especially now when Americans are experiencing economic difficulties due to the deficiencies of the current government.

Historically, I have been very critical of movies that contain events that are logically impossible. Because of the charm, wit and kind heart of this picture, I am willing to dismiss any and all elements that may seem more-than-unlikely in Dave. This is how much I think of this film.I was introduced to Kevin Kline two years prior, in the excellent romp Soapdish, and to Sigourney Weaver five years prior, in Gorillas In The Mist. Both thespians became favorites because of these movies.Charles Grodin is my favorite straight man, and I laughed out loud at his scenes. I have been a fan of his since 1987's Ishtar. Kingsley is an actor capable of great depth, and I admired the restraint of great emotion he displayed as V.P.It was great to see Helen Thomas. We all miss her.Although Dave is mostly light-hearted and enjoyable, there is a serious aspect to it: It portrays the seedy underside of D.C. politics, in particular, those of the executive branch: Can chiefs-of-staff, prominent aides-de-camp or lobbyists for "foreign" governments really run the show, with the president being just a figure-head? Could a coup take place by events similar to those in Dave?Not exactly, but it is worth thinking about.The scene where Klein (as the president) sits and talks with a boy in a homeless shelter was excellent, as was Weaver's well-reserved show of support for it.The ending is ingenious and unexpected. Brilliant.Dave is entertaining-yet-inspiring. It is both frightening in its implications and emboldening in the moral capacity and expression there-of shown not only by the pseudo-president, but by most of those in his closest circle.I think we need something like the events depicted in Dave to happen in real-life. Then again, if we somehow found ourselves in the graces of a moral president, he or she would probably find themself immobilized or worse by pervasive greed, corruption and decay. The movie Dave shows us that there is always hope. Just don't let the light go out.