Reaper The tagline, "In a country where anybody can become President, anybody just did" was probably funnier before November 2016.Dave is a cute dramedy about an ordinary guy who finds himself posing as the POTUS. In the real world, this would overwhelm a person, but Kevin Kline finds it a simple thing, thanks to his sleazy Chief of Staff, Frank Langella at his most unctuous.A fairly lightweight movie, Dave manages to avoid questions about the majesty of the office, and deals mainly in rom-com situations. Ivan Reitman is -- probably correctly -- making this a lightweight fluff piece, and not a deep politico-social statement. Kline and Weaver make it work without heavy lifting, and it's an enjoyable, non-taxing diversion for two hours. Think House of Cards without the angst.

ElMaruecan82 Ivan Reitman's "Dave" is reminiscent of the old-school charm of Capra classics, but there's also something of the Jewish Barber from "The Great Dictator" in Dave Kovic, a humble and gentle self-made man coerced into impersonating the President of the United States, victim of a stroke. He doesn't see himself as a leader, yet his earnest and powerful messages generate such genuinely enthusiastic cheers from people that you wonder who's the real fraud.I'm naturally not comparing President Bill Mitchell to Adenoid Hynkel, but the same defiance towards men of power is expressed through a seemingly gentle script that doesn't lack sharpness. Neither did Capra movies and just like all these "Mr. Smith" and "Meet John Doe", "Dave" explores the potential efficiency of a man from the people as a charismatic figure, rather than exploits a comical gimmick. The film also features Kevin Kline in one of the best performances of his career, playing the likable Dave; hired to replace the not-so likable Mitchell. Naturally, Kline plays both characters and deserves twice more praise for his acting.It's all in the mimics, speech mannerisms, confidence not just oozing from the body but the eye language too. In the pivotal scene where the somewhat arrogant President meets his lookalike for the first (and last) time, the interaction is nothing but juxtaposition of close-ups and in each one, you can tell who's who. Same haircut, same glasses, but Dave always lets a little smirk slip in his face and an innocent look that is totally contrasting with the cocky counterpart. We believe these two men are different despite their resemblance and this is crucial for the suspension of disbelief.Gary Ross was Oscar-nominated for the script and deservedly so, he masters his set-ups with the same delicacy the White House cook probably handles his mimosa eggs. And all the little contrivances that could have made the plot implausible are thoughtfully dodged. For instance, the First Lady, played with firm confidence by Sigourney Weaver, could have spotted very easily that he's not her husband. There's even a scene where she confronts him in the shower and Dave is afraid to turn, I was wondering whether it was out of shame or because he wasn't sure President Mitchell had a similarly hairy chest. But the script avoids these complexities by choosing to show a couple in the midst of a marital crisis, Helen strongly disapproves her husband's infidelity (in fact, she hates him) and they're only seen together during official ceremonies. We knew Presidents were womanizers but the unintentional foreshadowing of the Monica-Gate gave a nice, extra, prophetic taste to the film. And it even works as a set-up, because this is exactly why Mitchell needs his lookalike, to have a rendezvous with one of his young secretaries, played by Laura Linney. And after what was a delightful night, he ends up in a coma that extends Dave's contract. And this is where it gets tricky, the White House Chief of Staff Bob Alexander sees there an opportunity to frame honest Vice President (Ben Kingsley) by mixing him with a Saving & Loans scandal, with the help of Communication Manager (Kevin Dunn) so he can replace the VP and ultimately become President after the death of Mitchell, which is only a question of time. Dave becomes the puppet of a scheme perfectly oiled by an intimidating mastermind played by a Frank Langella, as cunning as ever. Kevin Judd's character is more ambiguous, he sides with Alexander but he finds something fresh and genuinely appealing in Dave.And so do we. This Capraesque hero does hit a sensitive chord, as a man who doesn't belong to his world but that's probably his best quality. He visits the home shelters; he talks to the kids, interacts with the workers, speaks with journalists and people with the every-man's words and even manages to cut 650 Millions of the federal budget to finance the building of new home shelters, with the help of his accountant (Charles Grodin). And his popularity doesn't only grow within the American people but the First Lady, who was intelligent enough to lure him into a revelation, starts to see in this fake husband the husband she really needed.Yes, this is all a fable, subtly tainted with romantic undertones, but that's the power of "Dave", it asks this question: can someone be a good guy and become a President? We're inclined to say 'yes' because no one wants to have a bad guy, like Bob Alexander, as a President, but the fact is Mitchell was elected and he wasn't a model: he cheated on his wife, he cheated the system and he was just a puppet. Dave literally redeemed him by taking the wrong decisions from Mitchell's perspective but the right ones for America. Still, there's no way a lamb like Dave, a nice person, would've swum over such a lake of sharks to become a President.Two days ago, Donald Trump became the 45th President of United States and although I'm not among those who predict the Apocalypse just because he's the President, I'm not sure either that's what the country needs, but a man like Dave Kovic would easily be branded as weak and liable and destroyed by Trump's populist rhetoric, or the elitist intelligentsia that supports the other party. See, it's weird how the 90's were still innocent by today's standards, but that was before politics would depend on Internet and social networks to touch the people, today's battles are nasty, ugly, and people don't vote for the best candidate but the perhaps least loathsome, the lesser of the two evils or the better communicator.Now, movies like "Dave", "Wag the Dog" or "The American President" would feel totally unrealistic today, but at least they remind us that the 90's was quite a decade for President- themed films, charming, fun, witty and satirical enough to stand the test of time.

Geoffrey DeLeons Historically, I have been very critical of movies that contain events that are logically impossible. Because of the charm, wit and kind heart of this picture, I am willing to dismiss any and all elements that may seem more-than-unlikely in Dave. This is how much I think of this film.I was introduced to Kevin Kline two years prior, in the excellent romp Soapdish, and to Sigourney Weaver five years prior, in Gorillas In The Mist. Both thespians became favorites because of these movies.Charles Grodin is my favorite straight man, and I laughed out loud at his scenes. I have been a fan of his since 1987's Ishtar. Kingsley is an actor capable of great depth, and I admired the restraint of great emotion he displayed as V.P.It was great to see Helen Thomas. We all miss her.Although Dave is mostly light-hearted and enjoyable, there is a serious aspect to it: It portrays the seedy underside of D.C. politics, in particular, those of the executive branch: Can chiefs-of-staff, prominent aides-de-camp or lobbyists for "foreign" governments really run the show, with the president being just a figure-head? Could a coup take place by events similar to those in Dave?Not exactly, but it is worth thinking about.The scene where Klein (as the president) sits and talks with a boy in a homeless shelter was excellent, as was Weaver's well-reserved show of support for it.The ending is ingenious and unexpected. Brilliant.Dave is entertaining-yet-inspiring. It is both frightening in its implications and emboldening in the moral capacity and expression there-of shown not only by the pseudo-president, but by most of those in his closest circle.I think we need something like the events depicted in Dave to happen in real-life. Then again, if we somehow found ourselves in the graces of a moral president, he or she would probably find themself immobilized or worse by pervasive greed, corruption and decay. The movie Dave shows us that there is always hope. Just don't let the light go out.

AaronCapenBanner Ivan Reitman directed this winning comedy that stars Kevin Kline as Dave, a temp agency manager who just so happens to be a dead ringer for the President. One day, after impersonating the President at a luncheon, he finds himself stuck in the part after the real President has a stroke while having an affair with an aide... In order to avoid scandal(and save his career) White House Chief Of Staff Bob Alexander(played by Frank Langella) persuades Dave to continue the impersonation, but doesn't count on Dave enjoying his new "job", and becoming quite popular with the public as a result of his new policies! Of course, this can't last forever, and a plan is put forward to save the situation, and stop Bob. Sigourney Weaver plays the First Lady, and Ben Kingsley plays the Vice President. Charming and funny film turns its far-fetched premise to its advantage, and result is most appealing.