I have come to accept that, nowadays, all children in Hollywood films are precocious. No youth will ever seem misguided or foolish, only wise and worldly. That’s fine. A little weird, but fine. What I refuse to let pass is the new level of precociousness displayed by 12-year-old actress Madeline Carroll in the latest Kevin Costner vehicle Swing Vote . As expected, Carroll’s character Molly is 35 times smarter than her idiot, neglectful father (Costner). She has an intimate knowledge of the history of American electoral politics, as well as many of the wedge issues which have continually divided our nation. Again, that’s permissible. It’s a bit annoying, but I can deal with it. What gets me is that she drives a car with the ease and familiarity that real-life 12-year-olds might blow spit wads. How can she see over the steering wheel? And how is it that at her school there’s another small child who regularly drives his parents’ car? This is completely insane, and I would like Hollywood to formally acknowledge that it’s gone too far.
Attack Of The Precocious Children
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