Chance and Choice, Biology and Theology in Alexander Payne’s Election

Looking back from Election (1999) to his first feature film, Payne saw Citizen Ruth (1996) as “something of a dry run for” the later one. (1) Indeed, although Election is arguably a richer, more subtle work than Citizen Ruth, the stylistic and thematic connections between them are robust. Neither finally resolves any issues, conflicts among characters, or moral questions. Religion or religious […]