NEW Vampire In Brooklyn (DVD)

Tracey Flick (Reece Witherspoon) is a high flying and highly ambitious student at a Nebraskan high school. The film follows her campaign to become student-council president. Matthew Broderick plays the part of teacher, Jim McAllister, who loathes the `perfect' Tracey and yet has an overwhelming desire for her. Giving in to his hatred of her, McAllister throws his professionalism aside and encourages a rather dim witted, but very popular jock, Paul Metzler (played by Chris Klein) to run against her whilst also doing his utmost to scupper Tracey's chances by `fixing' the vote count. Things get even more complicated when Paul's sister Tammy, the school misfit, also decides to have a shot at the presidency.

This is not the usual teenage high school movie; its humour is far too black for that. The dialogue is brilliantly witty and sharp and has some genuinely `laugh out loud' moments whilst other scenes will make you cringe as the protagonists lives disintegrate before your eyes. The prim and proper Tracey raises feelings of sympathy and revulsion in equal measure while McAllister is a character that deserves everything that comes to him...and come it does. The beauty of this film is in its characterisation, no character is one dimensional but a wonderful mixture of good and bad, all with their flaws.

For anyone wanting a comedy that is black as coal and saccharine free, this is the movie to watch, absolutely brilliant.

This wonderful comedy is set in a Nebraska high school during the student body elections. Over-achiever and seemingly perfect student Tracy (Reese Witherspoon) is running unopposed for the office of president. The student advisor is straight-arrow teacher Jim McAllister (Matthew Broderick) who's having a lot of trouble at home. He doesn't like the way Tracy always wins everything she goes after, so he decides to put up an unlikely candidate to run against her. During the campaign we learn that Tracy is not above damaging her opponent's chances. And Jim also proves less than honorable, both at home and in the school election.

Witherspoon and Broderick are absolutely charismatic here and I couldn't wait to see what they would do next. She's beautiful, calculating, and just the kind of little-miss-perfect you admired/envied in high school. He's very likeable as a good teacher and a flawed man who maybe is a bit jealous of his student's long list of accomplishments. The movie is sly and always funny, thanks to an insightful script and the charm of the two stars. Relive those high school days with "Election," a spot-on, behind-the-scenes look at teenage politics and popularity.

This movie does an amazing job of incorporating the points of view of several different characters, allowing viewers to both laugh at and feel for their perspectives and situations. It's a journey through a high school election, a seemingly common event, but one that takes on special significance due to corruption, sexual improprieties, the pursuit and destruction of dreams, and the search for success and acceptance. A movie that is both serious and comedic, refreshing and thoughtful, engaging and fun. Witherspoon does an excellent job portraying the intensity of youthful overachiever and presidential candidate Tracy. A great movie for those who are looking for a fun movie with some depth.