ELECTION

 

TWO STARS - Weak

 

       The consequences of sin are clearly shown by MTV’s modern morality play “Election.”  But unlike the medieval morality plays which showed both the consequences of sin and the redemption by God, the modern Everyman is no longer redeemed but consigned to a hellishly small and expensive subterranean apartment in New York City to pay for his sins.  In MTV’s world, there is no God redeeming anyone, nor is there any good battling evil, there is only a farcical and cynical humanity living lives of self-delusion and destruction.

       In “Election,”  Everyman is a popular high school history and government teacher named Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick).  Mr. McAllister has been a teacher for several years and has received the “Teacher of the Year” award three times.  He is married to a nurse, Diane (Molly Hagan) and has no children of his own, though Diane desperately wants to have a baby.

       The film begins with Mr. McAllister asking his class the question, “What is the difference between ethics and morality?”  The class struggles to answer and they are saved by the bell before Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), the ambitious overachiever, can pronounce her answer.

       But the film does answer the question.  Morality is the line which is crossed when a teacher has sexual relations with a student costing him his marriage and his career.  Ethics is the line which is crossed when a teacher cheats in the election of the student government president costing him his career.

       Relishing its R rating and its visual depiction of sin, “Election” is a raunchy film.  Its cynicism and portrayal of all people as hypocrites, opportunists or dullards is offensive and degrading.  What would have created a complete morality play would have been to have presented at least one person, student or teacher, who exhibited moral wisdom and redeeming love.

       Instead, the focus of the play is on the delusional rationalizing of the self-talk of the characters.  Each person is simply trying to make themselves feel better while their world is disintegrating around them.

       A prime example of this focus is seen when yearbook advisor and teacher Dave Novotny (Mark Harelik) seduces his student, Tracy Flick.

       Rich in sarcasm, we hear Tracy explain to us as we watch their liaison in the school darkroom that she was not vulnerable to him because her father had died, she was just looking for someone strong and safe with whom she could talk.

       The same focus is shown in this cynical vein when we watch Mr. Novotny, 15 to 20 years older than Tracy and described as a teacher who teaches only because he didn’t want to leave high school, convince himself that he loves Tracy.  Out of this delusion, he sends her a note which Tracy lets her mother find, and Mr. Novotny’s adultery and professional violation costs him his job and family.  He is seen at the end of the film as a stock boy in a drug store.

       As Mr. Novotny’s best friend, Mr. McAllister, now has an intense dislike for Tracy.  But his dislike is not just for her sexual misbehavior, but mostly for her ambitious obsessions.

       In another richly delusional voice-over explanation, Tracy expresses her appreciation for her mother’s support as she helps her live the life she had always wanted to live: a member of nearly every High School club, serving on every committee, reporter on the school’s TV station, editor of the yearbook, and now running for student council president.

       Repulsed by this driving ambition, Mr. McAllister decides to ask the injured ex-quarterback, Paul Metzler, to run against her. 

       Portrayed as the helplessly simple-minded and yet intensely popular school jock, Paul is a definite threat to Tracy’s plans.  Out of frustration and fear, she expresses her rage by secretly destroying his posters.  This further infuriates Mr. McAllister and leads to a show down between him and Tracy.

       After his own adultery and humiliation, losing his wife and lover in the same day, Mr. McAllister has the chance to defeat Tracy and give the election to Paul by removing two ballots voting for Tracy.

       If “Election” is an attempt to portray real moral life for our high school students, there is no sign or symbol of hope within its frames.  Everyone today, like Everyman of old, is in need of redemption.  If we don’t offer such a chance to our youth, the destructive, cynical and sarcastic message of MTV is all they have to hear.

 

739 Words

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