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To simply call this film a political dramedy/satire is to do a disservice to its more visceral component. In a role, Sandra Bullock often plays, the untethered woman in a one-woman show, the depth of her performance is what gives this movie its immediate allure. Bullock's Jane Bodine's struggle with her inner demons shine brightly in so much of what she doesn't say that we are intent to listen when she does speak. Jane's battle with her nemesis, keenly played by Billy Bob Thornton, illuminates what is often a complex issue for women striving in fields where men typically play. Although this isn't at the crux of their dissension, which lives in a far more personal place,Thornton's character, Pat Candy, uses every manipulative ploy available to dissolve his mounting insecurity as he realizes Jane's in it to win it-big time. Their sparring is the product of their egos, which is what leads them to the manna that feeds them--winning. They, like the politicians they are branding to win, are all "puppets" in a game that costs more than any populace should have to pay. The supporting cast is deliciously effective, and despite some lapses into a too-sugary donut, the overall message, though not a re-creation of the wheel, is a fine vehicle to make its point. And, as in all political directives, it is best to read in, under, up, down, around, and in between the lines.