Review

Citizen Ruth director Payne once again tackles political processes, this time within a public high school. Running for school president is perky overachiever Witherspoon; her nemesis here is Broderick, as a teacher (not a Bueller) who looks for ways to defeat her (including pressuring a dim jock into the race). No one in this scattershot satire is safe, with teacher-student sex, budding lesbianism, campaign politics and perfectionist parents among the dozens of targets. It's completely hilarious, and even when the viciousness is shocking, it rings very true. Witherspoon once again shines as the public school equivalent of Rushmore's Max, but it's Broderick who's the revelation, playing the most complex and adult (if not exactly grown-up) part of his career. Election may not have Rushmore's lethal dose of comedic poison, but it's a damn funny, scintillating slap at the forces of comformity, cheer and good fortune.