Blue State

If you don't already agree with John's political diatribes, you're unlikely to be convinced by Blue State. Filmmaker Marshall Lewy, in his first film, does a good job of showing what a sanctimonious jerk John can be -- how pious and how self-righteous he is about everything from where he buys his gas to what Chloe eats. As a road trip companion, John isn't so different from the persnickety Sally in When Harry Met Sally. The good thing is it's played for laughs. The fact that he's even sexually aroused by news reports is hilarious.

But the movie also shows a good balance. This isn't just preaching to the choir -- though anyone outside the choir may consider it simple yelling. John's father, played with sad rage by Richard Blackburn, is particularly effecting as he parrots phrases from conservative talk radio: "We're going to commercial break," he barks, as he tries to shut up his son's leftist arguments. "Cut off his mic." In the end, this movie isn't just about Democrat blue states or Republican red states. It's about the blues that befall everyone when the mourning for fallen soldiers mixes with political polarization. For that, during an election season especially, it's worth seeing.