2008 Woodie Awards
'Man of the Year' keeps audience laughing
Beth Ann Jones
Issue date: 11/16/06 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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At first glance, Man of the Year seems to be another tired comedy in which all the good jokes are used in the trailer.
It is a pleasant surprise when the film turns out to be funny and have an actual plot.
The preface is nothing incredibly extraordinary: comedic political talk show host Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams) decides to run for president and astonishingly, wins.
As is turns out, being the president doesn't even count for enough of the movie for Dobbs to be sworn in.
The jokes and skits performed by Dobbs are quite amusing and relate to today's issues such as same-sex marriage and welfare medications, and his presidential debate leaves the viewer actually wanting him to be president.
In one of his statements, he attacks the agenda-setting of the other candidates, asserting:
"If we're going to be representing special interest groups, maybe we should be like NASCAR and wear little patches on the back," to the amusement of the on-screen audience.
The movie is a breath of fresh air in the harsh world of politics, as Dobbs seems to be truly a genuine person who really cares about the people and not just his backers or his own aspiring agenda.
Some of the story lines are left open and unknown; they simply drop off at the end of the movie, which runs for 115 minutes.
That seems too long by the end of the movie, when the plot becomes predictable and the audience simply waits for it to end.
The movie, on the whole, while not something epic, is amusing and entertaining and leaves the viewer with a feeling of hope that perhaps there's worth in politics after all.
It is a pleasant surprise when the film turns out to be funny and have an actual plot.
The preface is nothing incredibly extraordinary: comedic political talk show host Tom Dobbs (Robin Williams) decides to run for president and astonishingly, wins.
As is turns out, being the president doesn't even count for enough of the movie for Dobbs to be sworn in.
The jokes and skits performed by Dobbs are quite amusing and relate to today's issues such as same-sex marriage and welfare medications, and his presidential debate leaves the viewer actually wanting him to be president.
In one of his statements, he attacks the agenda-setting of the other candidates, asserting:
"If we're going to be representing special interest groups, maybe we should be like NASCAR and wear little patches on the back," to the amusement of the on-screen audience.
The movie is a breath of fresh air in the harsh world of politics, as Dobbs seems to be truly a genuine person who really cares about the people and not just his backers or his own aspiring agenda.
Some of the story lines are left open and unknown; they simply drop off at the end of the movie, which runs for 115 minutes.
That seems too long by the end of the movie, when the plot becomes predictable and the audience simply waits for it to end.
The movie, on the whole, while not something epic, is amusing and entertaining and leaves the viewer with a feeling of hope that perhaps there's worth in politics after all.
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