Game Change (film)

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Please do not use {{Infobox television film}} directly. See the documentation for available templates. Game Change is a 2012 American HBO political drama film based on events of the 2008 United States presidential election campaign, directed by Jay Roach and written by Danny Strong, based on the 2010 book of the same name documenting the campaign by political journalists Mark Halperin and John Heilemann. It starred Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson and Ed Harris.

The film focuses on the chapters about the selection and performance of Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin (Moore) as running mate to Senator John McCain (Harris) in the Republican presidential campaign. The plot features a 2010 interview of the campaign's senior strategist Steve Schmidt (Harrelson), using flashbacks to portray McCain and Palin during their ultimately unsuccessful campaign. The film was well received by both critics and Schmidt, with Moore's portrayal of Palin being praised. Palin and McCain described it as false and inaccurate, and neither chose to watch the film.[1]

Synopsis

See also: Game Change

The film opens in 2010 with a frame story of John McCain's 2008 presidential campaign strategist Steve Schmidt being interviewed by Anderson Cooper for 60 Minutes regarding the choice of Sarah Palin as the vice-presidential running mate. Cooper poses a difficult question: was Palin selected because she would make the best vice president or because she would win the election?

Flashing back to the campaign, McCain's preferred running mate, Senator Joe Lieberman, is rejected by the majority of McCain's senior advisers – including Schmidt – because he will not excite the Republican party base nor help compete with the celebrity of their campaign opponent, Democratic Senator Barack Obama. The strategists quickly look for a "game change": a replacement who would tilt public excitement in their favor and attract both women and conservative voters. Investigating prominent female Republican politicians, the campaign finds Governor Palin of Alaska to have the charismatic qualities they want and, after an exceptionally brief vetting process, she is selected. Between then and the convention, her selection is kept quiet, with a chosen few being informed of the decision. Palin's public reveal creates the buzz that Schmidt and McCain were looking for, bringing them to even or better with Obama in the polls.

While Palin's acceptance speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention is well received, the campaign becomes concerned that she is ignorant about many political issues and grossly unprepared. Schmidt handles controversies from her past, such as Troopergate, while other staff attempt to fill broad gaps in her understanding of domestic and foreign politics. At times she is preoccupied with her approval ratings in Alaska and the absence of her family while campaigning, eventually becoming unresponsive to advisers who begin to question her mental state. Several prominent blunders in major interviews, such as those with Katie Couric, are a source of mockery in the media and frustration in the campaign. Schmidt opines that YouTube has altered the media landscape in that Palin's gaffes are seen online repeatedly rather than being forgotten in the news cycle. Palin, Schmidt, and others watch Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live, doing her impersonation of Palin, which hurts Palin's feelings.

In the latter months of 2008, prospects for the McCain campaign look poor. The campaign staff boosts a negative campaign against Obama's associations with the liberal elite, which Palin supports but McCain resists, and come to accept that Palin is better at memorizing and delivering lines than she is at understanding issues. However, Palin's growing popularity soon overshadows the campaign; Palin becomes uncooperative, rejecting everyone, including Schmidt, as she gains her own following. McCain, meanwhile, becomes discouraged by the negative campaigning, watching growing hostility and vitriol emerge toward Obama among McCain's supporters.

With Election Day approaching, senior campaigners express regret that Palin turned out to be style without substance, with Schmidt bemoaning that they neglected to vet her competency. McCain consoles Schmidt by reaffirming that taking a risk with Palin was better than fading away. On the night McCain loses the election, his campaign advisers and McCain stop a rebellious Palin from giving a concession speech along with McCain's (unheard of for a vice-presidential candidate).

The film returns to the 2010 interview as Schmidt answers Cooper's question about whether he would pick Palin again if he had the chance to do it over. Schmidt replies that life does not give you do-overs.

Cast

Actual footage from the 2008 campaign portrayed the Democratic candidates Barack Obama and Joe Biden as well as numerous reporters, including Anderson Cooper, Wolf Blitzer, Candy Crowley, Dana Bash, and John King. At times, the film employed doubles and editing to make it appear that the actors were interacting with historical footage, such as in the vice-presidential debate scenes featuring the real Biden, the real Gwen Ifill, and Moore as Palin.

Production

HBO optioned the book Game Change, by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin, in January 2010.[2] In February 2011, development began with Danny Strong writing and Jay Roach directing, who had previously collaborated as writer and director on the 2008 HBO film Recount, about the controversial result of the 2000 U.S. presidential election. Although Strong and Roach based the film on the part of the book dealing with the McCain–Palin campaign, they had also considered a film dealing with Obama's primary battle against Hillary Clinton – an idea ultimately dropped due to the length and complexity of that story, among other reasons.[3] Strong said he interviewed 25 people from the McCain–Palin campaign and referenced other books and articles, including Palin's memoir Going Rogue, in addition to the book on which the film was based.[4]

The main cast was announced in March 2011, starting with Julianne Moore as Palin,[5] Ed Harris as John McCain,[6] and Woody Harrelson, who plays McCain campaign chair Steve Schmidt, came aboard soon thereafter.[7] The film was primarily shot in Maryland,[8] along with a hotel scene shot in Wilmington, Delaware.[citation needed] The film premiered at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on March 8 prior to its public debut on HBO on March 10, 2012.[9][10]

Response

Ratings

Game Change was watched by 2.1 million people on its debut night, which marks the highest ratings for an HBO original film since their 2004 film Something the Lord Made.[11]

Accuracy

Palin said Game Change was based on a "false narrative" and that she did not intend to see it.[12] The film, and the book it is based upon, has been described by John and Cindy McCain as inaccurate.[13] Like Palin, McCain said he did not intend to see it.[11]

However, Steve Schmidt, the campaign's chief strategist, stated: "Ten weeks of the campaign are condensed into a two-hour movie. But it tells the truth of the campaign. That is the story of what happened."[14] He later said that watching the film was tantamount to "an out-of-body experience."[15]

Nicolle Wallace, a chief Palin 2008 aide, said she found Game Change highly credible, saying the film "captured the spirit and emotion of the campaign."[14] Wallace also told ABC News Chief Political Correspondent George Stephanopoulos that the film was "true enough to make me squirm."[16]

Melissa Farman, who played Bristol Palin, said it was never the film's intention to portray Sarah Palin in a negative light because the film was not meant to be about Palin, but about "politics at large" and what it means to be a politician in this era.[17]

Reviews

David Hinckley of The New York Daily News wrote, "Julianne Moore’s physical Palin in Game Change, which debuts March 10, is even more dead-on than Tina Fey’s."[18] Fey, who was noted for her physical resemblance to Palin,[19] won an Emmy Award in 2009 for her satirical impersonation of Palin on the sketch comedy TV show Saturday Night Live.[20] Several excerpts from these impersonations were used in the film.

The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman says the movie "boldly raises the question about whether Palin is mentally unbalanced." He calls Moore's performance "virtuoso (and likely Emmy-winning)."[21]

The review aggregator website Metacritic lists the film as scoring 74 out of 100, based on 25 reviews by critics, which they describe as a "generally favorable" critical response.[22] Roger Ebert gave the movie three and a half stars.[23] Entertainment Weekly's Ken Tucker gave it an A−.[24]

The Los Angeles Times wrote: "The overall atmosphere of the film is surprisingly kind to all, much more fatalistic than hypercritical and certainly not derisive. Palin's rise and fall is depicted as series of bad decisions made in relatively good faith that lead up to a hideous car crash."[25] Newsday commented: "Moore's performance ... is superb. ... A luminous and fully alive portrait by a first-rate actress."[26] The San Francisco Chronicle also praised the acting: "Game Change is graced by three extraordinary performances in the leading roles, beginning with Moore's portrayal of Palin, which is both complex and entirely credible."[27] The Boston Globe wrote: "Whether “Game Change’’ is a definitive accounting of what happened, and whether some viewers will accept it as such is unknowable. But from a dramatic standpoint is the film entertaining? You betcha."[28]

Accolades

References

  1. ^ Sperling, Daniel. "Sarah Palin 'not concerned' by 'false' HBO movie 'Game Change'". Digital Spy. Retrieved March 17, 2012.
  2. ^ "HBO options Game Change". The Daily Beast. January 22, 2010.
  3. ^ Game Change (Television production). C-SPAN. March 9, 2012. Event occurs at 6:30. Retrieved March 12, 2012.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link) A forum interview feature Schmidt, Heilemann, Halperin, Roach, and Strong.
  4. ^ Game Change (Television production). C-SPAN. March 9, 2012. Event occurs at 8:20. Retrieved March 12, 2012.{{cite AV media}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  5. ^ de Moraes, Lisa (March 9, 2011). "HBO announces new McCain/Palin film, 'Game Change'". The Washington Post.
  6. ^ Hibberd, James (March 23, 2011). "Ed Harris cast as John McCain in HBO's 'Game Change'". Entertainment Weekly.
  7. ^ Collins, Scott (March 25, 2011). "Woody Harrelson will play GOP adviser in HBO political movie 'Game Change'". LA Times Blog. {{cite news}}: More than one of |work= and |newspaper= specified (help)
  8. ^ "HBO to Shoot 'Game Change' Film in Md". Southern Maryland Online. March 11, 2011.
  9. ^ Judkis, Maura (March 12, 2012). "'Game Change': Critics react to Sarah Palin movie". Washington Post.
  10. ^ HBO: Movies: Home
  11. ^ a b "Ratings: 'Game Change' Premiere Gives HBO 8-Year Movie High". TheWrap. March 13, 2012.
  12. ^ Palin says film has 'false narrative': Former Gov. Sarah Palin | Alaska news at adn.com
  13. ^ Tim Mak (2012-03-08). "Cindy McCain defends Sarah Palin on movie". Politico. Retrieved 7 March 2012.
  14. ^ a b Rainey, James (February 18, 2012). "Choosing sides on Sarah Palin". Los Angeles Times.
  15. ^ David Frum: HBO's 'Game Change' Charts Sarah Palin's Revenge - The Daily Beast
  16. ^ George Stephanopoulos (2012-03-11). "Former Sarah Palin Adviser Says 'Game Change' Was 'True Enough to Make Me Squirm'". ABC News. Retrieved 11 March 2012.
  17. ^ Conversations with Ross: Featuring Melissa Farman http://www.rosscarey.com/2012/04/03/episode-62-featuring-melissa-farman/
  18. ^ Hinckley, David (January 14, 2012). "Julianne Moore as Sarah Palin in HBO's 'Game Change'". Daily News. New York.
  19. ^ Coyle, Jake (2008-09-13). "Tina Fey 'likely' to play Sarah Palin on 'SNL'". USA Today.
  20. ^ "You betcha — Tina Fey wins Emmy as Sarah Palin on 'SNL'". Los Angeles Times. 2009-09-13.
  21. ^ Game Change: TV Review by Tim Goodman
  22. ^ "Game Change". Metacritic. Retrieved March 13, 2012.
  23. ^ The greatest actress in American political history
  24. ^ Ken Tucker Game Change
  25. ^ McNamara, Mary; Critic, Television (March 8, 2012). "Television review: 'Game Change'". Los Angeles Times.
  26. ^ http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/tv/review-game-change-is-winning-with-julianne-moore-1.3588654
  27. ^ Wiegand, David (March 9, 2012). "'Game Change' review: Sarah Palin broke the rules". The San Francisco Chronicle.
  28. ^ "'Game Change' more complex than a caricature of Palin and McCain". The Boston Globe.

External links

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