Irresistible Movie Review

Irresistible (2020)

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Written by: Jon Stewart
Directed by: Jon Stewart
Starring: Steve Carell, Rose Byrne, Chris Cooper, Will Sasso, Topher Grace, Mackenzie Davis, Natasha Lyonne
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A Democratic strategist helps a retired veteran run for mayor in a small, conservative Midwest town..

Verdict
A pleasant surprise. It's a cynical look at politics and the media, but it doesn't skew partisan. The business of politics derails what politics is supposed to be. The comedic elements, and Carell make this a lot lighter than it could be. Stewart has a knack for writing and directing comedy. The underlying them is that politics is broken and there isn't a good fix. This movie won't tell you anything new and it doesn't offer a fix, but it is entertaining.
It depends.

Review
This is the second movie Jon Stewart has written/directed, his first was Rosewater. In this Gary is a DC strategist on the outs after misjudging the 2016 presidential election. He heads to Wisconsin to help Colonel Jack, a democrat mayoral candidate, get elected in a Republican town. The movie claims there are larger repercussion if Gary can do this, but Gary is doing this to generate a plot. This becomes two strategists, Gary and Rose, helping the opposing parties, but their allegiances aren't party related. They just want their candidate to win while embarrassing the opponent. It's an ego race. The candidates don't matter. Politics is now just about winning when it should be about reforming and improving communities.

Rose Byrne and Steve Carrell play Faith and Gary.

It seems Gary and Rose had a previous relationship with how they bicker, but the movie never outright states that. Maybe the movie is dialing it up for comedic effect, but it's strange that it's not addressed. Two people that are more or less co-workers wouldn't behave like they do.
Stewart has a knack for writing comedy. He knows exactly how much to show and what not to show.  Gary as an outsider in a rural town certainly plays to the fish out of water trope. Carell certainly helps the comedy aspect, playing to type.

Chris Cooper plays Colonel Jack.

Gary and Rose aren't dumping money into this mayoral race for the community or to change politics. They each want to stroke their own egos while trying to put their opponent in a grave. What makes this movie ridiculous is how absurd the situation is. Gary and Rose aren't much more than bickering children. The underlying ideas are frustrating and disappointing.

Gary takes Jack to New York where Jack excels in raising money from the New York elite by telling the truth. Gary is an actor and can't fathom anyone else not being fake. Gary and Rose don't have a party allegiance.

This isn't partisan. It's a look at how the game of politics ruins the original desire to improve the community. Jack originally wanted to improve the town he loves. Gary and his cohorts perverted that vision.
I really like how this ends. The only way to beat what the political system has become is to cheat the system. It's a cynical look at a disillusioned system.