On Nov. 5, election night, the Chestnut Hill Film Group presents Alexander Payne's “Election” at the Woodmere Art Museum – a perfect choice for the day, with its biting commentary on ambition, integrity, and flawed systems of power. Two decades have passed since “Election” hit theaters, and the film’s themes are as relevant as ever.
In “Election,” Alexander Payne explores ethics and morals – or the lack thereof – in politics through a high school student government election. Payne’s adaptation of Tom Perrotta's novel was inspired by the 1992 presidential election, when third-party candidate Ross Perot entered the race joining Bill Clinton and George Bush Sr. Since its 1999 release, “Election" has left audiences divided over its lead character, Tracy Flick, played with star-making intensity by Reese Witherspoon. With her relentless ambition and academic overachieving, Tracy, a high school senior, refuses to settle for less than the top spot.
In 1999, Tracy’s unapologetic drive — a trait that didn’t align with society’s expectations for likability, especially in women — drew ire and animosity. Hillary Clinton has, over the years, been compared to Tracy. What audiences didn’t like about Tracy, they also didn’t like about the first lady, then secretary of state, then presidential candidate. Tracy was the archetypal “try-hard,” the girl who knew she was smart, capable, and destined for more. She didn’t care to downplay it, either.
While Payne’s screenplay never demonized Tracy, audiences reacted to her intensity, cheering for her to be taken down a notch or two — or three. In “Election,” the man for that job is a high school teacher, Mr. McAllister, played by Matthew Broderick. Broderick was inspired casting, as audiences still felt such goodwill for his charm and impishness as Ferris Bueller that they sided with him even as he tried to destroy his young student’s dreams.
Scenes of McAllister trying to teach students about ethics and morals are especially dark, as we have to assume he knows the terms well enough but does not apply either to his own life. McAllister is driven by his baser needs, feels no compunction about lying, and behaves with a pettiness that, for a man, would otherwise make the audience disdain him. Instead, he was interpreted as a necessary foil for the overbearing Tracy Flick.
While McAllister’s attempts to oppose Tracy might come off as comedic, his actions are troublingly real. Payne doesn’t shy away from McAllister’s flaws; he’s a man whose moral compass has no north. He tells himself he is trying to teach Tracy a “lesson,” but really he is trying to punish Tracy for her gender transgressions. In 1999, that is what the audience wanted. As we watch “Election” in 2024, we may have a different take on Tracy. Today, she feels less like the villain of the piece and more like a reflection of women facing scrutiny for their ambition.
But Payne’s film is no straightforward tale of heroes and villains. Alongside Tracy and McAllister, the election introduces two more student candidates — Paul Metzler, the sweet and popular football star who is being used as a pawn by McAllister, and Paul’s sister Tammy, a nihilistic lesbian looking for revenge. Paul (Chris Klein) serves as the stereotypical “golden boy,” loved by everyone but blissfully unaware of the machinations around him. Tammy, on the other hand, has her own agenda. She’s using the election for romantic revenge and, once drawn into the battle between Flick and McAllister, as a chance to change her life.
The Woodmere Art Museum screening offers the perfect context to revisit “Election.” Tracy Flick’s determined hand-raising was once a meme symbolizing the smug and annoying overachiever. Today, she feels less like the villain of the piece and more like a reflection of women facing scrutiny for their ambition.
Audiences may find themselves rooting for Tracy this time, perhaps even seeing a bit of her in those challenging systems that resist change. Whether you’ve seen the film a dozen times or will be viewing it for the first time, “Election” will provoke laughs, discomfort, and introspection.
Woodmere Art Museum is located at 9201 Germantown Ave. in Chestnut Hill.
