Dave

Dave casts Kevin Kline as the title character, an affable temp-agency owner whose uncanny resemblance to the President of the United States provokes a sinister Chief of Staff (Frank Langella’s Bob Alexander) into replacing the POTUS with Dave – with the idea being that Bob will eventually be able to orchestrate his own ascension to the Presidency. (The movie also boasts Sigourney Weaver as the President’s alienated wife and Ben Kingsley as they straight-and-narrow Veep.) It’s a high-concept premise that’s employed to watchable yet erratic effect by Ivan Reitman, as the filmmaker delivers a hit-and-miss narrative that admittedly does feel padded-out in certain stretches – with the needlessly overlong running time certainly perpetuating that vibe. There is, however, little doubt that Dave benefits substantially from Kline’s typically winning work as the almost unreasonably affable protagonist, while the able supporting cast, coupled with an ongoing inclusion of stand-out sequences, ensures that the picture’s hold on the viewer never entirely wanes. The end result is a decent comedy that probably could’ve been better and more memorable, and yet it’s hard to deny the impact of the film’s various pleasures (ie Kline’s superb performance).

*** out of ****