A political strategist helps a progressive veteran run
for mayor in a small, conservative Wisconsin town. COMEDY
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Irresistible (2020)Written and Directed by Jon Stewart
Starring Steve Carell, Chris Cooper, Rose Byrne, Mackenzie Davis, Topher Grace, Natasha Lyonne, Will Sasso, Will McLaughlin |
I've been a fan of Jon Stewart's for years, and I was sad to see him leave The Daily Show. He was the one pundit who recognized how farcical our news and elections had become, and I could always count on him for an honest send-up of the political climate. So when it was announced that he was writing and directing a political comedy, I was pretty excited. Irresistible is hilarious and timely send-up of the modern political landscape, and it deserves way more attention. 2020 has been a shitty year for Hollywood, so the pickings for great cinema this year are slim. That being said, I think I would've enjoyed this regardless.
Gary Zimmer (Carell) is a Democratic campaign strategist who was publicly mocked after the 2016 election resulted in Trump's victory. Looking for a chance to redeem himself to the DNC, he stumbles onto a video of Wisconsin farmer Jack Hastings (Cooper) calling out the mayor of his town Deerlaken. Gary goes to Deerlaken to groom Hastings to run as the Democatic candidate for mayor. Sensing political intrigue, Gary's Republican archnemesis Faith Brewster (Byrne) follows him and endorses the incumbent, resulting in a no-hold-barred war for the town of Deerlaken. The end result is a shocking twist that I did not see coming, but made total sense. Irresistible is a great political satire thanks to Stewart's great screenplay and the comedic talents of Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, and most surprisingly Chris Cooper. This is one of the films that Covid-19 stopped cold, so it never got a chance to shine in the box office. It's currently on VOD and DVD, so if you have the opportunity, I recommend checking it out, especially after this most recent election. |