Alexander Payne should jump into the front rank of comedy filmmakers with his second feature, "Election," a wickedly funny, beautifully acted satire of high school life, with a smash performance from Reese Witherspoon as a ruthless goody-two-shoes running for school president. Reversing his Ferris Bueller persona, Matthew Broderick is perfect as the naive (but inwardly corrupt) foil of those around him, playing a dedicated high school teacher whose one mistake unravels his life. Chris Klein, a newcomer, is perfect as a sweet, dumb guy also running for school president. The cinematography of James Glennon ("El Norte"), plus clever editing, including comical freeze frames, makes this a visually witty film that also has a clever script from Payne and Jim Taylor (based on Tom Perrotta's droll novel). The satire is cutting, the composition polished - and this flick is light years ahead of Payne's debut film, "Citizen Ruth." Delicious.
