The VCR 'Dave', a find in my weekly trip to the town recycling center, was so good we sat spellbound through the entire story in one sitting. Milt Gross photo.

Not an antique review, but a review of an antique movie. Well, actually, since it's not 25 years old, I assume it's not actually an antique. But it's old enough that I found it in our town's recycling center.

On the other hand, this movie we watched on a video last night, antique or just pretty old, Dave, is so up to date, I can't help but review it.

It's billed as a comedy, but the story could be happening today. And the events in the movie are so real we found them more frightening than funny. The primary definition of "comedy" that fits Dave is that comedies have happy endings. The versions being lived out today in our strange world of politics, that world where the participants seem to have developed the wealth-building skill of getting folk to vote for them with the promise of helping said folk, but then, once elected, continuing to bow to the wishes of the wealthy who aid the politicians in their daily wealth-building efforts.

Democrats, not so much? Maybe. Republicans, a lot more? Seems that way. Green Party? Who are they? Are they the ones who make me mow my lawn?

Dave, an Ivan Reitman Film, whoever Ivan might be, is also a Warner Brother presentation and stars Kevin Kline, of A Fish Called Wanda fame with Sigourney Weaver from Working Girl, do a very credible job of becoming the President and First Lady by accident. Dave, it seems is a look-alike for the President and is called to take part in public activities to protect the real President.

So far, so good, until the real President has a stroke, Dave is drafted as a temporary President by some conniving White House big guys so the Vice President won't automatically become President. Still so far, so good until the real President suffers a second, more serious stroke that puts him into a coma and Dave into the Presidency.

Dave does stuff that is actually good for America, the conniving White House big guys become really upset, and the tale moves on.

Romance, of course, becomes a major part of the story, starting with the real President's wife's despising him for his evil trickery that hurts kids and eventually figuring out that Dave is not the real President. The story becomes more and more dramatic and fun, and ends with the romance, of course.

To fuel the romance, Dave, through an accountant buddy in real life, finds a way to budget the kids' program. The real President's wife and Dave fall in love, for real, and the comedy part happens as the story ends on a happy note.

If you want to see politics turned around to actually being what our real politicians promise us, find Dave some place, grab your popcorn, put the VCR in your player and enjoy it.

We did. Did it restore our faith in politics? Real-life politics? You've got to be kidding. But it was fun -- and the TV channels were filled with reruns.

Where can you find the VCR? I haven't checked Netflix. They might.

Or, if you want to combine finding a great old movie with doing some good in your community, try your recycling center.

I can't wait to recycle this week!

Milt Gross can be reached for corrections, harassment, or other purposes at lesstraveledway@midmaine.com.

Milton M. Gross Copyright 2012

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