Dave

Dave Kovic runs a small temp agency and makes extra money impersonating President Bill Mitchell; the resemblance is uncanny. The Secret Service hires him for one evening. That night the president has a stroke and does not wake up. The chief of staff turns it into an opportunity and decides to keep Dave in the role. The plan depended on Dave knowing nothing about the job; instead he slowly starts actually governing. Ivan Reitman directed. Kevin Kline plays both parts, Sigourney Weaver plays the First Lady and Frank Langella the chief of staff. Gary Ross wrote the screenplay and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It was shot in 1992 in Los Angeles and Washington, with the White House sets built at Warner Bros studios. A great many real people appear as themselves: Tip O'Neill and Chris Dodd among the politicians, Jay Leno and Larry King from broadcasting. Some senators pulled out, with Al D'Amato, Lloyd Bentsen and Daniel Patrick Moynihan declining over a separate dispute involving Warner Records. It opened on 7 May 1993, took 92 million dollars worldwide against a 28 million budget and was well reviewed. Who it is for: viewers who like good-natured political comedy and Kevin Kline. Who it is not for: anyone who wants politics shown realistically. The film assumes the problems can be fixed by one honest man and never questions it.