For nearly a generation the non-studio production of films (pioneered by HBO and companies such as Netflix and AMC) has gained momentum as well as “TV” shows produced (including such as the crime dramas “The Sopranos” and “Breaking Bad”). The quality of this work matches the best Hollywood ever did and it’s easier to find. So, I’m taking a look today at the HBO effort called “Recount.” In any election season, you’ll find this one a very watchable, topical film. Find it. Watch it!
‘Recount’
(2008; 116 minutes; rated TV-MA; directed by Jay Roach and starring Kevin Spacey, Laura Dern and Denis Leary)
OUTSTANDING ACTORS DOING OUTSTANDING WORK
(NOTE: I expanded this review with additional opinion and trivia and the updating of links for the 2020 U.S. Presidential election. I again expanded the review on Nov. 5, 2024 … the day of the 2024 U.S. Presidential election.)
If you’re a political animal you should watch “Recount,” the HBO film about the 2000 presidential election. No matter which side you align yourself with, you’ll find “I told you so” spoken here. If you’re not a political animal, watch it anyway because it has some of the best acting talent you can find.
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(Note: I will not enter into any political evaluation of “Recount.” I will not judge this dramatization of real events from any angle other than what the actors are doing on screen. Also, I’ll be putting quote marks – “” – around the names of real people because they are characters in this film.)
Of course, the plot of “Recount” is centered on the 2000 presidential election and its aftermath as the voting and results were pushed through the court system right up to the U.S. Supreme Court. With this frame, the lead player is now-Hollywood pariah Kevin Spacey, who plays “Ron Klain.” He’s the Democratic political operative who heads up the challenge to the election. After Spacey, there’s a stellar cast of actors who more than bring this one to life.
You don’t need a map to figure out what happens in the film. The election is disputed by the losing candidate and then a legal brawl ensues that continues to affect the U.S. political landscape nearly 25 years later.
Spacey is very good in playing the smooth, outraged “Klain” (although many characters are outraged in this one, too). He conveys the fire, motivation and ultimate defeat of his character with such ease that it is no wonder he is a two time Oscar winner (leading for “American Beauty” and supporting for “The Usual Suspects”). Spacey has also done excellent work in “L.A. Confidential” (click here for my review) and even comedy with “Horrible Bosses” (click here for my review). Too bad his personal sleaziness overpowers his talent.
Tom Wilkinson plays “James Baker” as Spacey’s counterpart and, while he obviously isn’t an A-list actor, he does an excellent job here as the Republican out to guarantee the election for George W. Bush. Wilkinson has also been in “Batman Begins” and “Shakespeare in Love.” His best work in tis one is playing off (in separate scenes) how he wants the whole thing to be a street fight while his opponents vow not to go the bare-knuckles way. Wilkinson died at 75 in 2023.
After the two main characters, there’s a smorgasbord of acting talent that is too expansive to list all (you’ll wear out the scroll button as you skim through the cast list on IMDb.com) so I’ll make do with the notable of the notables:
- Laura Dern won one of her three acting Golden Globes playing “Katherine Harris,” the embattled Florida secretary of state who certified Florida’s electoral votes for and therefore the election for Bush. Dern is unrecognizable without her blonde hair in this role (and all the makeup) but she is perfectly cast as the often flummoxed and heavily criticized politician who is way out of her intellectual depth. Dern has also been in “Teachers” with Nick Nolte and “Jurassic Park” and its second sequel “Jurassic Park III” (click here to read my review of the sequel). Don’t miss this performance by Dern.
- Bruce McGill, who was “Daniel Simpson ‘D-Day’ Day” in “National Lampoon’s Animal House,” plays “Mac Stipanovich.” His character is the behind-the-scenes Republican bulldog who guides Dern through the election mess. McGill is very good here, certainly equal to his courtroom roles in “My Cousin Vinny” (as a sheriff) and as the judge in “Runaway Jury” (click here to read my review).
- Denis Leary plays “Michael Whouley,” who is a Democratic strategist with a penchant for dropping f-bombs. Leary is cast perfectly as he easily conveys his character’s frustrations and jaded outlook on political life. Leary has just the perfect voice and snarky expressions needed for this role. He has also been in TV’s “Rescue Me” and “Two if by Sea” with Sandra Bullock. He does a wonderful turn as the underground rebel leader in “Demolition Man” (click here to read my review). I liked him better in small roles in the remake of “The Thomas Crown Affair” (click here for my review) and “Draft Day” with Kevin Costner (click here to read my review).
- Bob Balaban does his usually wonderful supporting turn as “Ben Ginsberg,” a Republican strategist who is hyper-intense. It is a role with which he is familiar, as he’s played similar characters in “Absence of Malice” and the HBO film “The Late Shift” (click here to read my review) about the late night war between Jay Leno and David Letterman.
- Gary Basaraba plays harried state elections official “Clay Roberts.” Basaraba’s challenge was to portray a character trying to keep things from running out of control in Dern’s office as well as be a guiding hand to elections officials across the state. A tough role, but one done well by Basaraba, who was also in “Fried Green Tomatoes” and the remake of “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3.”
Pulling this all together is Jay Roach, who has also directed such winners as two “Austin Powers” flicks, “Meet the Parents” and its sequel “Meet the Fockers.” Roach had to deal with a number of talented performers and that isn’t an easy task under any circumstance. “Recount” has all the feel of a big-screen effort and Roach is worthy of sharing any laurels this film earned (he earned an Emmy for his work).
Since “Recount” is a “made-for-TV” movie, it obviously doesn’t rank in 2008’s list of most popular movies at the box office and was not eligible for any Oscars. However, “Recount” won three Emmy awards (including best movie and director) plus six more nominations; and won one Golden Globe (Dern’s) and nominated for four others. The No. 1 and No. 2 films of the year were “The Dark Knight” ($533.3 million) and “Iron Man” ($318.4 million), according to Box Office Mojo. Here are the other films from 2008 that I’ve reviewed:
- “Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay” (comedy) – click here for my review
- “Role Models” (neat raunchy comedy) – click here for my review
- “21” (better than average drama) – click here for my review
Assorted cast and film notes (via IMDb.com):
- The late director Sydney Pollack was the original director of the film, but he became too ill to do it.
- Directly from IMDb.com: “Because of the extensive parody of Katherine Harris in the media, Laura Dern expressed great apprehension over how to approach the character. Dern convinced Executive Producer and Director Jay Roach to allow her at least three takes for every scene: one underplayed, one ‘medium,’ and one way over-the-top, so Roach could help guide her performance.”
- John Hurt plays “Warren Christopher” as the veteran Democrat who doesn’t go to the wall with the Republicans. Hurt does a wonderful job as the somewhat directionless character and has been in “V for Vendetta” (click here to read my review) and “Alien” as well as earning Oscar nominations for two other films.
- Directly from IMDb.com: “Most of the cast met with their real-life counterparts prior to filming. The real Katherine Harris refused to meet with Laura Dern or anybody else associated with the production, despite repeated pleas from Dern, Teleplay Writer Danny Strong, and Executive Producer and Director Jay Roach.”
- Early in the film the character “James Baker” is shown with a can of Dr. Pepper. The can is a version released after 2000. Filmmakers made up the slack by later showing a 2000-era can.
- Finally and directly from IMDb.com: “The real James Baker III liked and supported this movie upon its release.”
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