That one person is Ernest “Bud” Johnson (Kevin Costner), a single dad recently fired from his job in an egg-packing plant. Bud didn’t actually go to vote anyway, despite having promised his daughter, Molly (Madeline Carroll) that he’d meet her at the polling place. Instead, having just been fired, he gets drunk. When he does remember (after seeing Molly on the news reading an essay about voting), he passes out in his truck before he can start it up. Molly, fed up with waiting and adamant about voting, manages to sneak in, sign in as Bud, and feeds his ballot slip into the voting machine. Just as she’s about to cast Bud’s vote for president, the machine goes dark and she runs home.
Turns out with the election as close as it is, that vote-to-be matters tremendously. State election officials track Bud down at the trailer home he and Molly share. It takes some explaining, but Bud and Molly finally understand that Bud’s entitled to vote “again,” and what that vote will mean.
From there, the movie looks, mostly humorously, at what I hope is the worst-case scenario of what would happen in such a situation. Both presidential candidates (Kelsey Grammer plays the incumbent Republican; Dennis Hopper is his Democratic opponent) relocate to Texico, NM to woo Bud. They’re goaded on by their campaign managers, played to Stanley Tucci and Nathan Lane, respectively. Those two have their candidates selling out in the blink of an eye, changing positions to do whatever Bud wants, or says he wants. (Bud’s misunderstanding of what pro-life means is one highlight.) Both are willing to sell out for that one last vote, although both also question that approach.
While the world is watching Bud’s every move via the TV crews camped out around the trailer, Molly is getting more and more upset. Her dad clearly isn’t taking things seriously, but she is. She’s reading the letters that are pouring in to Bud from people asking him to talk to the candidates about their problems. But Bud can’t even get up on time to come to father-daughter day at school. When that happens, and the local TV reporter (Paula Patton) who Molly thinks is her friend betrays her, Molly decides to run away to live with her mom. The scene with Mare Winningham as Molly’s mom is short, but heartbreaking, making Molly all-too-happy when Bud shows up.
Molly’s running away shocks Bud into seriousness, and at Molly’s urging, he asks for one last debate between the candidates. His opening statement is heartfelt (and needs to be listened to carefully when you’re watching), and then he begins asking the questions in the letters.
Swing Vote has important messages about why voting matters, the pitfalls of democracy, and excesses of the press and the problems with the political process. It’s well-acted (especially by Carroll and Costner) and has lots of funny moments, although you’ll also likely find yourself shaking your head because it’s all-too-realistic, basic premise aside.
The special features include a commentary track with director and co-writer Joshua Michael Stern and co-writer Jason Richman; several deleted scenes that are well worth watching (I wish they’d all been left in); a music video with Costner’s band, Modern West, and a making-of featurette that focuses on the casting and locations.
Audio on the Swing Vote DVD is Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround, with optional Spanish and Spanish subtitles. The video perspective is widescreen.