Dave (DVD, 1998)

Mean-spirited, philandering President Bill Mitchell falls into a coma in the midst of an unfortunate rendez-vous with an aide. The Secret Service, having already hired kindly lookalike Dave Kovic to serve as his stand-in at a luncheon the President did not want to attend, compels him to remain in the role. Suddenly a very different presidency begins to take shape as Dave goes from being a puppet of the Chief of Staff to taking his own initiative and working to improve the lives of everyday people. With the help of his friend Murray, an accountant, he plans to cut wasteful spending in the budget to make room for important programs while winning over the long-estranged First Lady with his sweetness.

The ghost of Frank Capra must have smiled when he saw Dave, an amusing and effective update of one of Capra's favorite themes -- the scrupulously honest little guy who becomes a force for good against a corrupt system. Dave Kovic (Kevin Kline) runs an employment agency and seems to genuinely enjoy finding work for people who need it. He also bears a striking resemblance to the president of the United States, Bill Mitchell (also played by Kline) and occasionally gets work as a Bill Mitchell impersonator. One day, Dave gets a call from the Secret Service -- for security purposes, they want to hire him to act as a decoy for an upcoming appearance by the president. All goes well, but later that evening President Mitchell suffers a massive stroke while in bed with his mistress. Wanting to keep the matter a secret, two of the president's top advisors appeal to Dave to stand in as Bill Mitchell until he regains his health. One of the men behind this scheme, Bob Alexander (Frank Langella), hopes to use Mitchell's absence to promote his own right-wing political agenda, but after a few weeks "in office," Dave decides it's time to promote some changes of his own that will help increase employment and keep homeless shelters open. Dave also finds himself growing fond of Ellen Mitchell (Sigourney Weaver), the President's wife, while Ellen sees in Dave the idealism her husband left behind years ago. Dave features numerous cameo appearances by politicians, Washington insiders, and journalists; Oliver Stone also appears to explain a conspiracy theory regarding sudden changes in Bill Mitchell's behavior. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide. Featurette: "The Making Of Dave", Interactive Menus, Production Notes, 4 Theatrical Trailers, Scene Access, Languages And Subtitles: English, French and Spanish.