Dave (1993)

Dave (1993)

7/10

Starring

Kevin Kline

Sigourney Weaver

Frank Langella

Kevin Dunn

Ving Rhames

Ben Kingsley

Directed by Ivan Reitman

Here is a movie I’ve watched numerous times, and each time I revisit it, I do so with excitement. The idea that someone thought getting a random person to impersonate the president could work is both absurd and brilliant!

Dave is a fantastic movie built around the question: what if the White House were run by a president who’s nothing more than a puppet controlled by his chief of staff? For me, the film not only works as a political drama but also excels as a romantic comedy, thanks to its blend of humor and heartfelt moments.

With backstabbing at every turn, the thrill of watching each character navigate their challenges is what makes this film as engaging as it is funny. The movie boasts incredible performances from its leads: Kevin Kline, Sigourney Weaver, and Frank Langella. Directed by Ivan Reitman—who also teamed up with Weaver in Ghostbusters—Dave is a masterclass in balancing serious political themes with a comedic tone.

The script strikes a perfect balance between drama and comedy, making a serious topic feel approachable. If you’ve never seen the movie, you’re in for a treat watching Kline’s character overcome one obstacle after another to keep the charade alive.

The story kicks off with Dave (Kevin Kline), who runs a temporary employment agency and moonlights as a presidential impersonator. Meanwhile, President Bill Mitchell (also played by Kline) is busy attending to an “urgent matter” (an affair with a White House staffer). When the president suffers a stroke during this escapade and falls into a coma, his chief of staff, Bob (Frank Langella), and communications director, Alan, concoct a scheme to maintain their power.

To pull it off, they send the vice president away on a fabricated goodwill tour, move the incapacitated president into a private ward in the White House, and bribe everyone in the know to stay silent. Enter Dave, hired to be the president’s stand-in.

Initially, Dave plays along, unwittingly letting Bob and Alan use him to push their agenda while plotting to ruin the vice president and install Bob as his replacement. However, things start to unravel. The First Lady, Ellen (Sigourney Weaver), who despises her husband and is only sticking around for the remainder of his presidency, begins to suspect something is amiss. On top of that, Dave turns out to be the worst possible puppet—because he starts having ideas of his own.

Dave is a film you can watch anytime and still enjoy. It’s funny, smart, and brilliantly crafted.

Fun fact: President Bill Clinton, who was in office at the time of the film’s release, reportedly enjoyed it so much that he autographed a copy of the script for the writer.