Costner movie is all about ticking boxes

Swing Vote (12)

3/5

WHILE the rest of America goes to the polls to elect a new president, factory worker Bud Johnson (Kevin Costner) seeks out his favourite bar stool.

In despair, his precocious 12-year-old daughter Molly (Madeline Carroll) secretly votes in his stead, only for the electronic ballot to be spoilt by a technical glitch.

But his verdict, it transpires, will break the political deadlock between Republican incumbent, President Andrew Boone (Kelsey Grammer), and charismatic Democratic challenger, Donald Greenleaf (Dennis Hopper), and hand one of the men the keys to the White House.

A media circus decamps outside the front door of Bud's trailer in the dustbowl town of Texico, New Mexico as rival campaign managers search for the "one issue that matters to this guy''.

Swing Vote is a gentle and surprisingly sweet comedy that lampoons the electoral process, as seen through the eyes of a man who couldn't care less.

Ghosts Of Girlfriends Past (12)

2/5

CELEBRITY photographer Connor Mead (Matthew McConaughey) is one of those blokes who says he loves women, but treats individual females with contempt – dumping girlfriends by conference call, sometimes three at a time.

His reckless attitude towards relationships is in stark contrast to his hopelessly romantic, younger brother Paul (Breckin Meyer), who is about to marry his sweetheart Sandra (Lacey Chabert).

Connor almost ruins the pre-wedding celebrations to the dismay of Paul and the other guests.

That same day, the ghost of Connor's idol, Uncle Wayne (Michael Douglas), visits the lothario to put him straight, saying that three female spirits will make contact, to offer a glimpse at his past, present and future relationships.

Can these ghosts make a womaniser change his ways?

Mark Waters's romantic comedy shifts awkwardly between slapstick and tearful confession. To savour the good bits, you have to wade through a lot of sentimental dross.

Observe And Report (15)

3/5

RONNIE Barnhardt (Seth Rogen) always dreamed of wearing a police uniform, but he failed the psychiatric evaluation.

So his entire life is now based at the Forest Ridge shopping mall, where he is the dictatorial head of security.

And when a flasher terrorises female customers, Ronnie is more bumptious then ever.

Observe And Report will shock viewers who fell in love with Rogen as the adorable loser in Pineapple Express and Zack & Miri Make A Porno.

There's nothing remotely endearing about his character, and the "humour'' is so black it ceases to be funny.

Fighting (15)

3/5

SHAWN MacArthur (Channing Tatum) lives from one day to the next by selling counterfeit goods on street corners.

When a fight breaks out between Shawn and a rival vendor, scam artist Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard) spots raw potential and offers Shawn 5,000 dollars minus expenses for one brawl on the illegal bare-knuckle circuit run by promoter Jack Dancing. Shawn displays impressive endurance during this initial bout, and Harvey accepts further matches, with the stakes getting higher all the time.

Fighting is a no-holds-barred tale that struts down similar avenues to David Fincher's Fight Club, albeit without that film's biting wit and directorial pizzazz.

Tormented (15)

2/5

HEAD girl Justine (Tuppence Middleton) leads the funeral tributes to classmate Darren Mullet (Calvin Dean), unaware of the circumstances surrounding his death.

The truth emerges when Alexis (Dimitri Leonidas) makes romantic overtures to Justine and introduces her to the other members of his gang: It transpires that these teenagers mercilessly taunted their asthmatic, overweight classmate, literally bullying Darren to his grave.

But Darren's ghost is out for revenge.

Tormented is a tongue-in-cheek horror that lacks imagination and wit. The gore – and there is plenty – sits uncomfortably next to the giggles.