[the candidate]

Michael Ritchie's biting satire The Candidate follows an idealistic, no-nonsense, environmentalist and devotedly liberal lawyer named John McKay. He is played by Robert Redford, and as we begin the film an old friend is trying to convince him to run for Senator in California. It takes some convincing for John - he's happy doing what he's doing. But watching long running senator Crocker Jarmon babble about preventing environmentalist extremism is too much -- and before we know it, he's running. Does he have any idea what he's doing? Not quite, yet. Will he be recognizable at the end of the film? Yes, but only as someone who is painfully aware that all of their ideals have been sacrificed in order to make themselves electable.

The Candidate, although often blisteringly hilarious (helped along by Redford's naturalistic, bleakly funny acting and Jeremy Larner's brilliantly realistic script), is also a sad pondering on the sacrifices necessary to become an American politician. McKay doesn't put up nearly a big enough fight for his own ideals as we want him to - perhaps he is already realzing the hopelessness of his position. He is becoming a puppet, but who is puppeteer? His scriptwriters? His enemies? The American people? The American political system?

Hard to believe audiences actually found this film "exaggerated" back then when we know now how shockingly true it is. Nothing in this film veers too far into Hollywood drama - extramartial affairs by both McKay and his wife are hinted at, but not followed. There are no sex scenes, or theatrical fights, or rousing speeches or victorious good men. The Candidate works hard to never lose sight of it's roots as an imitation of a documentary, which it does impeccably. Everything in this film is believable, which, I think, is why we find it so funny, and so sad.

Rating: [****]