So much average

The story, direction, characters, and writing/dialogue is akin to taking a tranquilizer shot to the neck, but everything else was so well done.

It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Dave (1993) is a feel good movie. It's nothing too deep or heavy, it's just good entertainment. The movie stars Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, and Frank Langella. The president, Bill Mitchell, needs a man who looks just like him to be his double, and when he has a very serious medical episode, they end up asking that double to "fill in" for the president, because one of the presidents top officials (Frank Langella) doesn't want the Vice President to assume power because ultimately he wants to assume power. The movie gets going when Dave (Kevin Kline) starts to pretend to be the president. There is some humor in the film, given the plot, but what's really good about the movie is the romantic aspect and the somewhat dramatic parts, facing big decisions in the presidents told, and that sort of thing. The chemistry between Kline and Weaver is good, they are great actors on their own, and they work well together. Their chemistry is my favorite thing about the entire film. It really is enchanting, they couldn't have picked two better actors to play the roles. Overall, I would recommend the film to anyone. 8/10 for Dave.

A sweet, funny movie (the kind Douglas Adams would call "mostly harmless"), with a somewhat outlandish plot, that I'm sure is probably not all that far removed from reality - given the circumstances. Definitely one of Kevin Klines best. Sigourney Weaver isn't given much of a chance, what with her role being the lesser of the couple in focus, but she does do well with her part. For obvious reasons 'Dave' gets somewhat political, but all in all it seem to never actually pick sides, not to any greater extent anyway. Instead it rather seem to suggest that bureaucracy in general is an obstacle, a hindrance to really getting something done. Charles Grodin, in a smaller part, does what Charles Grodin always does best - shows up every now and then and brings the Funny.

Dave (1993)A hilarious wishful movie about what we really want our president to be. Kevin Kline is perfect in the role--both roles--a little goofy but totally believable. The rest of the cast doesn't much matter. They are decent if never amazing. It's a lightweight movie and to demand much beyond the gags and feel good qualities isn't fair to it.Does it hold up twenty years after it was made? Oddly, yes. You might not even notice it's a bit outdated on the fringes. Politics in some ways has not changed a bit. And the idea of body doubles for the U.S. President is still in currency (see "Vantage Point" for starters). Of course the notion of a secretive government that might pull of a huge scam isn't far-fetched at all (except of course that you hope it actually is far-fetched outside of Hollywood--see "Wag the Dog" for starters).There is also the use of lots of real people to bolster the idea that it's real, or could be real. Some are identified (senators and other celebrities from the era) so if you don't recognize them you should at least trust that these people are not actors. But there are a number (like 20 or 30) of other "real" people playing themselves, including Oliver Stone. In case you don't know him, Stone is being interviewed on Larry King Live (with the real Larry King) and he says that they've studied photos of the "new" president and that it's a conspiracy. This is really one of the many little hilarious lines because Stone, of course, is famous for hatching or nurturing conspiracy theories for his movies. His "JFK" came out just two years earlier.The other fun one most people will miss (and this dates me) is running into an unidentified Tip O'Neill on the streets. He was the real speaker of the house, and it's a great little three seconds. He dies the following year.Okay, the movie isn't brilliant. But it never gets stale, and it's well made enough to survive even a curmudgeon without popcorn. It'll make you laugh.

*There is a circle of ten people sitting in chairs in a draughty village hall, but one is empty. I stroll in, making sure I haven't been followed and take a seat. I link arms with my fellow members. I'm the last to speak, so I stand up, clear my throat.... And after a moment's hesitation, say the following*"Now I can be a nasty little cynic at the best of times, but when this lovable piece of fluff called Dave crops up on TV (even at 3 in the morning, natch) I have to tune in. Why? Because it is the filmic equivalent of eating a Crunchie on a Friday, that warm blast of hot air when you enter a shop on a cold day, listening to your Rice Krispies snap, crackle and pop... You get the picture. There's something about it that gives you hope... That even when humanity reaches it's lowest ebb and is run by scum-sucking parasites... that one selfless man can come around and change everything. It espouses simple pleasures, radiates genuine warmth and when it's over, you feel the world isn't quite such a bad place anymore. I know I'm rambling, but I don't care. My name is Mr Wright and this movie is my answer to phoning the Samaritans, taking an overdose or running under a steam roller " *Sits down, rest of support group give rousing round of applause and pats on the back, a chap hands out leaflets saying when the next meeting is...* 9/10