Stephen Silver The SS Ben Hecht Apr 20, 2024 3/5

To modern eyes, it looks like he’s mad at a teenage girl for getting molested by his friend- something that, through a contemporary lens, makes Jim look a lot more evil than he did 25 years ago (25th anniversary)

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Al Topich Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Jan 6, 2023

The cast is fun and quirky, but Witherspoon really stands out. She gives a perfect performance.

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Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Sep 18, 2021 4/4

A movie of unexpected savagery and caustic wit.

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Nick Levine NME (New Musical Express) May 10, 2021

[It] remains scarily relevant and on-the-nose.

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Alison Gillmor Winnipeg Free Press Nov 10, 2020

The young Reese Witherspoon leads with her determined chin as single-minded go-getter Tracy Flick...

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Nicholas Bell IONCINEMA.com Aug 26, 2020 3.5/5

A remnant from the provocative period of Alexander Payne, Election is as deviously potent now as it was at the time of its release.

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PJ Nabarro Patrick Nabarro Nov 8, 2018 3/5

Suffers from a tyrannical sameness of tone where Payne doesn't trust his audience to 'get' the crashing subtext, so he batters them over the head with it for nearly two hours

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Danielle Solzman Solzy at the Movies Nov 6, 2018

Alexander Payne's Election remains one of the best political satire comedies of all time.

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Eileen Jones The eXile Oct 27, 2018

An annihilating satire of the American experience, Election has never really been equaled for sheer truth-telling about the crushing awfulness of high school, which sets us up for the rotten lives we're going to live thereafter.

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Chris Ingalls PopMatters Mar 3, 2018 8/10

The lack of emotion and seriousness with which some of his characters behave is surprisingly amusing. It's like Wes Anderson without the twee set designs and world-building.

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David Ansen Newsweek Mar 3, 2018

The comedy may not resonate as deeply as the well-named Payne intends, but between Witherspoon's exuberant solipsism and Broderick's talent for absorbing massive humiliation, the chuckles keep coming like poisoned darts.

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Sean Axmaker Turner Classic Movies Online Dec 17, 2011

Payne and Taylor are equal opportunity satirists and their sly wit dismantles everything from high school culture to suburban complacency.

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Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Aug 17, 2011 A

This clever, biting high-school satire is arguably Alexander Payne's most original and accomplished film (and so far he has made only good pictures).

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Kelly Kessler Common Sense Media Jan 2, 2011 4/5

Dark high school comedy is best for older teens.

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Maitland McDonagh TV Guide Aug 24, 2010 3.5/4

Surprise! An intelligent, well-written high school story that offers some real ideas to chew on, rather than simply wallowing in nubile flesh.

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Lisa Alspector Chicago Reader Aug 24, 2010

The treatment of this touchy material is impressive, neither gratuitous nor mincing, but this 1999 satirical comedy doesn't really go anywhere.

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J. R. Jones Chicago Reader Aug 24, 2010

An instant classic, Alexander Payne's 1999 high school comedy seems even more scathing now that we're losing control of our own election machinery.

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Ted Anthony Associated Press Aug 24, 2010

Election at first has the feel of a simple work. But don't let that fool you; it's a complex, deep tale.

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Ryan Cracknell Movie Views Feb 3, 2009

Took the sleaze of the teen comedy and spun it into something that's both hugely entertaining and extremely insightful.

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Peter Canavese Groucho Reviews Jan 21, 2009 4/4

A funny and horrifying allegory of American politics and adult society, as seen through the prism--or shall we say "prison"?--that is secondary education. [Blu-ray]

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