May 7, 1993| If filmmaker Frank Capra had never existed, film critics would have had to invent him, if only to describe a particular type of savvy, satirical but basically soft-hearted American comedy.
In the 1930s and ‘40s, Capra gave us smart, sentimental social comedies on the order of Mr. Smith Goes to Washington and Mr. Deeds Goes to Town — movies known today, by admirers and critics alike, as “Capraesque,” or “Capra-corn.” The films have become TV staples and revival-house favorites, and their influence continues to be felt in contemporary movies as diverse as Hero and The Distinguished Gentleman.
Dave is the very model of a modern Capraesque comedy, being the story of a little guy who triumphs, through pluck and luck, over a corrupt system. In this case, the little guy is Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline), a decent fellow who runs a temporary-employment agency in Baltimore, and is never happier than when he finds a job for a deserving client. He is largely unremarkable, save for one remarkable thing: He is the spitting image of the 44th president of the United States, William Harrison Mitchell (Kevin Kline again).
Occasionally, Kovic takes advantage of his resemblance to the chief executive by making paid appearances at parties and car dealerships. This sort of public exposure brings him to the attention of Secret Service agents, who in turn bring him to the attention of President Mitchell. Dave is hired to impersonate the president at a public function, so the president can attend to a private affair (with his very private secretary). The impersonation is a success — so much so, in fact, that Dave is asked to stick around for an extended encore.
The bad news is, the president suffers a debilitating stroke while in flagrante delicto. The worse news is, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), the unscrupulous White House chief of staff, thinks it would be better to have Dave pose as Mitchell than to turn the government over to the nice-guy vice president (Ben Kingsley).
Dave might have been funnier, and certainly more audacious, had screenwriter Gary Ross (a 1980 Democratic convention delegate for Ted Kennedy, a 1988 speechwriter for Michael Dukakis) brought more bite to his inside-the-beltway observations. Even the soft-edged satire of Distinguished Gentleman would be preferable to the no-edge, almost generic satire that prevails in this movie. We don’t even learn very much about President Mitchell’s politics. All we know is, he’s a womanizer, a hypocrite and, according to political pundits, a “zombie” as a public speaker. That’s not enough.
Having said that, however, it must quickly be acknowledged that Dave is a great deal of fun, the work of extremely capable entertainers — chief among them, director Ivan Reitman (Twins, Ghostbusters) — with formidable talents to amuse. And even if the political satire is fairly timid, the movie does score some very funny points by having real-life figures pop up for bursts of self-parody. Conservative commentators John McLaughlin and Robert Novak are especially effective (and, in Novak’s case, unexpectedly good-sportsman) in their cameo bits. And JFK director Oliver Stone weighs in with a priceless “interview” about his latest conspiracy theory.
Kline is aptly stiff as President Mitchell, and thoroughly engaging as Dave, the make-believe president who grows in his role and selflessly serves his country. As Alexander, playing a character at least partially modeled after John Sununu, Langella rages hilariously as he witnesses the slow emergence of a kinder, gentler and more financially prudent president.
Among the notably strong supporting cast, standouts include Kingsley as the bland but well-meaning (and, more important, incorruptible) vice president; Charles Grodin as Dave’s best friend, a mild-mannered accountant who’s greatly shocked to be chosen as a presidential adviser; and Ving Rhames as the stern-faced Secret Service agent who gains genuine respect for the phony president.
Sigourney Weaver doesn’t have a lot to do as the tastefully glamorous first lady, who immediately suspects something is wrong when her husband starts acting like a decent human being. But she is very good at conveying the sort of dogged idealism and supportive encouragement that every Capraesque heroine should have.
