‘Let’s get right to the guts of it: every one of these accusations is absolutely true...’
The concept of mistaken identity goes back as far as the days of Shakespeare. Heck, further than that. Greek mythology. The Bible. And so obviously Hollywood loves it too. Everything from Chaplin’s The Great Dictator to cult classic The Big Lebowski has utilised mistaken identity as a driving force of the plot. Dave follows this tradition and the result is a big-hearted, captivating film that is both funny and poignant…
Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) is a normal guy living a normal life until his plucked from obscurity by the Secret Service due to his uncanny likeness to the President of the United States (who unbeknown to the public at large has been hospitalised due to illness). An especially evil Frank Langella is pulling the strings at the White House with Sigourney Weaver at her icy best as the nonplussed First Lady. The supporting cast comprises Ving Rhames, Kevin Dunn, Ben Kingsley, Laura Linney and Charles Grodin – a fine collection of actors.
Comedy legend Ivan Reitman is still best known for his work on the Ghostbusters franchise, and Dave arrived in 1993 sandwiched between two of Reitman’s Arnie vehicles (Kindergarten Cop and Junior). Despite being lesser known than any of the films mentioned, Dave was a mild critical and commercial success and still holds up despite being a bit of a liberal fantasy. What would happen if a nice, normal fella became the leader of the most powerful country in the world? Dave suggests that that man would solve the job crisis in a matter of hours by simply reallocating funds from elsewhere. It’s a lovely thought, and it’s no surprise that both Dave and The West Wing (another liberal fantasy) arrived during a time of American prosperity, but it also feels a little naive in the cynical and spiteful world that we currently reside in.
Dave is a warm and light-hearted film that skimps on the message to focus on character development and laughs – a solid political comedy.
