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Controversial 'Recount'

Film dramatizing Fla. fight over ballots gets reviewer's vote

By Rich Heldenfels
Beacon Journal popular culture writer

Published on Friday, May 23, 2008

Recount is an immensely entertaining dramatization of the events surrounding the 2000 battle for Florida's electoral votes, which tipped the presidential election to George W. Bush.

Airing at 9 p.m. Sunday on HBO, the movie's script, by actor-turned-writer Danny Strong, has come under some fire for what the real-life participants consider inaccuracies in their screen portrayals. Democratic strategist Warren Christopher, played in Recount by John Hurt, has felt especially stung. After reading the script of scenes involving him, Christopher told the Times that a lot of it was ''pure fiction.''

But the film, which uses news footage from and about the Florida recount in its narrative, makes clear that the Democrats overall were no match for the Republicans when it came to dealing with hanging chads, disqualified voters, the courts, the media and the street fights. And history says pretty much the same.

Depending on your political side, you'll look at the Recount saga as either a travesty or the means to the proper end. One of the things the movie does well is treat people on both sides with respect, understanding they are true believers in their respective candidates. (Gore and Bush are somewhat peripheral presences as the movie focuses on events within Florida itself.)

Even casting has a certain balance. The main Democratic tactician is Ron Klain, played by Kevin Spacey with an air of cynicism that makes clear he would try any tactic the Republicans used if his bosses would let him. Leading the other side is James Baker, played by Tom Wilkinson as a man whose considerable personal charm accompanies political ruthlessness.

Directed by Jay Roach, the movie is well-paced and finds effective ways, both in Strong's dialogue and in visual presentation, to cover the details of voting policies and practices without getting bogged down in lectures.

It also is nicely cast. Besides the folks already mentioned, enjoy Laura Dern's performance as Katherine Harris, the Florida secretary of state who was in charge of the election (and a Bush supporter). The real Harris became a figure of a national mockery; Strong's script and Dern's acting acknowledge her vanity and foolishness but do not overlook her political cunning.

Rich Heldenfels writes about popular culture for the Beacon Journal and in a blog at http://www.ohio.com. He can be reached at 330-996-3582 and rheldenfels@thebeaconjournal.com.

Recount is an immensely entertaining dramatization of the events surrounding the 2000 battle for Florida's electoral votes, which tipped the presidential election to George W. Bush.

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