★★★★★ 0/5

Game Change

They might as well engrave Julieanne Moore's name on an Emmy right now. She is simply dazzling in HBO's knockout telemovie.

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There’s a scene in Game Change where Sarah Palin, played by Julieanne Moore, is watching Sarah Palin played by Tina Fey.

The colour is drained from her face as Fey dumbs her down to a hockey mom out of her depth in the race to the US Vice Presidency in 2008.

But if the real Palin was aghast at Tina Fey’s portrayal she must be catatonic at watching Julieanne Moore in HBO’s telemovie, Game Change. Moore is simply a knockout.

She has the inflections down to a tee, hitting every word with the same intonation as Palin did in her speeches and interviews. She’s a freak of nature.

Game Change is based on the book of the same name by political journalists John Heilemann and Mark Halperin. It begins with John McCain (Ed Harris) recruiting a reluctant campaign strategist Steve Schmidt (Woody Harrelson) to his bid for the White House.

McCain is being whipped in the polls by Barack Obama and needs something radical to win over voters, especially the female vote. Enter the charismatic Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin who has the runs on the board in her home state.

Schmidt and his team grill her suitability for the role in an intense few days before the Republican National Convention, and Palin offers her allegiance. On the plus side she proves to be a great performer, with a son fighting in Iraq and her raising a child with special needs. On the flipside, she has a pregnant teenage daughter, a ‘Troopergate’ scandal in Alaska -and limited knowledge of world events. In fact Schmidt fails to test her properly on global issues which leads to disastrous interviews.

Palin falls short of knowledge on World War II, British politics, geography and economics. TV Interviews lead to hilarious lines such as “You can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska” helping her to become a pop culture headline, a viral sensation.

In Game Change the McCain team lose control of this most ambitious candidate, as she makes demands, becomes frustrated by their very short leash on her and embraces the media spotlight and enthusiastic crowd. When pushed to perform, she nevertheless turns on punchy, charismatic performances.

“They say the difference between a pit-bull and a Hockey Mom? Lipstick,” she tells one crowd.

The film perfectly references modern technology’s role in the election. People are snapping photos of Palin on their phones, there is Saturday Night Live, Katie Couric and Anderson Cooper. 2008 becomes the YouTube election and America gets the politics it deserves.

As the behind the scenes turmoil spirals out of control, it is Harrelson who emerges as the leading man in this telemovie. He is terrific, as Schmidt delicately tries to keep Palin happy whilst still retaining control. Ed Harris actually merges into the background as McCain is overshadowed by Palin.

But it is Julieanne Moore who is dazzling as the leading lady. They might as well engrave her name on an Emmy right now.

Game Change lives up to its title. A deeply satisfying political biopic that is as good as Primary Colours and its contemporaries.

Don’t miss it.

Game Change airs 8:30pm Saturday on Showcase.

5 Responses

  1. Watched this yesterday – excellent casting and some truly excruciating scenes for Palin which Julianne Moore absolutely nailed.
    Watched Sucker Punch after this for a bit of viewing diversity.

  2. I happened to see this in the states.

    It’s really fascinating. Structures a bit off at times, but it’s very good. I’d definitely recommend it everyone.

    I especially liked the bit about how they came to pick Palin. When they found her, she made total sense. You get that. Then the whole realization that she knows nothing. Also you actually do feel sympathy for Palin. It’s not really her fault. She’s a victim of it. Although her ego is a bit downplayed.

    When ever your mouth hits the flaw gobsmacked at what’s happening in this film. Remember this. The real guy that Woody Harrelson played, Steve Schmit has said the films accurate. So did Nicolle Wallace, the lady who was adviser to campaign and the one put in charge of Palin.

  4. David, Thanks for flagging up what sounds like a fantastic HBO film this Saturday night. The casting of the main roles sounds awesome on paper and your review sounds like it well and truly lives up to that promise on screen too. Julianne Moore must be one of the finest actresses of the last two decades, so I for one cannot wait to see this!

    (As an aside, it’s also good to actually have something to actually look forward to on what is normally the most uninspiring night for TV in Australia… unless you’re into AFL / NRL etc. In the UK many of the ‘big’ entertainment shows like Strictly Come Dancing, X-Factor, The Voice and Britain’s Got Talent play on Saturdays but sport seems to rule in the southern hemisphere.)

  5. Holy Cow, how much of a dead ringer for John McCain is Ed Harris??? Really zmazing resemblance there. Tina Fey looks more like Palin than Julianne Moore does, but it sounds like a good movie. Palin’s speech pattern is quite idiosyncratic and very distinctive, so props to Moore for getting it right!

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