Eye Candy #327 - "Man of the Year"

Man of the Year:  It should come as no surprise that director Barry Levinson, who steered Robin Williams through the schtick-heavy “Good Morning Vietnam” (which couldn’t decide if it wanted to absurd or serious), duplicates that same ride here, updating it to contemporary politics.  Williams is Tom Dobbs, a Bill Maher-like comedian/commentator that through a fluke in a Diebold-like voting machine wins the presidency against all odds, and brings a level of candor to the Oval Office not seen, well, ever.  And at the same time, we have an employee of the Diebold-like company (played by Laura Linney) trying to expose the truth at great risk to herself, while she falls for Dobbs.  It’s not every day you see a comedy try and be “Patch Lincoln”, yet have a sinister undertone that leaves a bad taste in the mouth.  You want to laugh…y’know, up until the point people get attacked and have cocaine injected into them to discredit them.  It was okay as a one-time view, but doesn’t hold up to serious scrutiny (nor does it do serious terribly well anyway).  Robin Williams can play these sorts of rolls in his sleep.  If I want Williams’ stand-up, I can rent it.  I enjoy it when he plays against type more.  Woodchuck sez, “Underwhelming.”