HBO’s “Recount” is Brilliant and Painful

HBO Films has assembled an amazing cast to re-enact the disastrous Florida presidential election of 2000. Premiering last night, “Recount” is the story of how the Democrats and the Republicans fought tooth and nail for victory in Florida during a recount of the popular vote. Eventually, the state’s electoral votes were awarded to George W. Bush (and thus he “won” the presidency) because the Supreme Court of the United States ordered the counting of ballots in Florida halted. It was one of the lowest points in American history, and the film portrays that in painful brilliance.

The technique of mixing news footage and verbatim dialogue into re-creations is the film’s greatest cinematic achievement. It makes the movie look like a well-filmed, big-budget documentary. The verisimilitude is intense as a result, and director Jay Roach (whose previous work includes “Meet the Fockers,” and the Austin Power films) deserves every accolade he has been given for taking this approach.

The casting done by David Rubin, CSA and Richard Hicks, CSA, adds to the verisimilitude. Tom Wilkinson looks more like James Baker III than one would have imagined. John Hurt is a more handsome version of Warren Christopher, but he still bears a close resemblance. Laura Dern as Florida’s Secretary of State, Katherine Harris, comes across as the kind of political ignoramus that she showed herself to be.

The lesson from “Recount” is the lesson one would expect – democracy is only as effective as a polity’s ability to frame questions and appeal to voters for clear answers. It shouldn’t involve “working the refs,” discarding votes that were cast, nor counting votes that weren’t. The process, not the outcome, is sacred, and since human beings are involved in a clash for power, the outcome is all most care about. Thus, vigilance needs to be eternal in protecting a republic.

Artistically, the film captures the conflict and the characters involved. Yet because of the subject matter, attempts to subvert an American election (by both parties), it is especially painful to view. Because of that fact, the film has to be considered a triumph. The shame of it is “Recount” can’t win an Oscar because it didn’t appear in at the cinema before it was on TV. One expects more than a few Emmys, though.

© Copyright 2008 by The Kensington Review, Jeff Myhre, PhD, Editor. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written consent. Produced using Fedora Linux.

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