We know Jon Stewart. We’re familiar with his 16 years on The Daily Show. You might or might not remember he and Stephen Colbert teaming up for 2010’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. You might even be familiar with his book welcoming any newcomers to Earth. That’s beside the point. What you might not know is, Irresistible is available for rental through VOD on June 26, 2020 in the US. It stars Steve Carrell and Rose Byrne as leads, with Chris Cooper and Mackenzie Davis in supporting roles.
Irresistible centers on a mayoral race, deep in the heart of the Conservative heartland, and how it becomes a grassroots battleground of big money and big politics. Steve Carrell plays Democratic campaign manager Gary Zimmer. His goal is to convince the veteran Jack Hastings, played by the recently sought after Chris Cooper, to run as a Democrat. The party-defying subterfuge is put in check when Rose Byrne’s Faith Brewster shows up with equal and opposite strength on the part of Republicans.
Now, Irresistible isn’t the first time we’ve seen politics played out onscreen, and it definitely won’t be the last. That said, after watching it I got the sense that Jon Stewart delivered a message in his style that was worth chewing on.
In the last few days, as reviews started going up, there are handfuls of negative scores and pieces. That’s the expectation though, isn’t it? If it doesn’t piss people off, is it really a political film?
All this to say, InQua wants to dish on the good, the bad, and the ugly of Irresistible.
Irresistible: The Good
First off, this is a Jon Stewart fan talking about Jon Stewart’s first film as writer/director. Of course I liked it! I think some of the best parts of Irresistible came in Stewart’s ability to subvert expectations. His writing brings out the best of what could have been a by-the-books political dramedy.
The cast delivers on all fronts. There are some cliche enough characters to feel real and recognizable, but also interesting enough to stay engaged. I’m gonna say it, 2019-2020 has been the year of Chris Cooper. Little Women with Greta Gerwig, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood alongside Tom Hanks, he’s now in Season 2 of Homecoming with Janelle Monáe. Well done Chris Cooper, well done.
Cooper’s mayoral candidate Jack Hastings delivers a powerful speech to kick off the plot, and it gets you wanting to visit your Town Hall meeting next Tuesday. Later in the film, he gets brutally honest at a donor banquet, and it has all the markings of a good Jon Stewart speech. Think Stewart’s speech to Congress about 9/11 first responder’s benefits.
Carrell is playing his serious self, a la his Rumsfeld in Vice or even recent Space Force…we can talk about that later actually. Rose Byrne is reminiscent of her Bridesmaids catty character, but with a lot more vengeful tact. I was a fan of Mackenzie Davis after 2018’s Tully, and she’s has some emotional moments with Carrell’s Gary Zimmer.
The cast, the overall plot, the surprises, and shooting on location gives the film a kind of homegrown and produced feel, without looking like a student film. I’m glad Focus Features stepped up to distribute, and glad they got the funding, to make this movie happen.
Irresistible: The Bad
Do I have my gripes? Sure. Once you start picking apart movies, you’ll find something to gripe about in everything you watch.
I’ve seen numerous reviews, from both sides of the aisle, slamming Stewart’s approach and message. Some say it’s not timely enough for the current moment, meaning BLM, Coronavirus, etc. Do those people realize how long it takes to make a movie?
Stats, courtesy of IMDB Pro, clear that up. The script was finished in late 2018, filming began on April 22nd, 2019, and Post-Production began on June 3rd, 2019. The cameras stopped rolling by June 3rd, 2019. And yet…we expect Stewart to predict a virus and political arena even our own legislators can’t seem to get a handle on?
Past that, I do agree with some other reviews on points and critiques. I wish it had some more comedic humor, that’s what I loved on The Daily Show. Carrell and Byrne provide some fun Tom and Jerry style antics, there’s some relatable situational humor, some funny commentary on the bass ackwardness of politics, but there could have been more.
At times it seems to drag. Certain plot points or scenes could have been cut. I wish I would have seen Chekhov’s gun in plain sight, but maybe that was my error as a viewer. For a filmmaker making their second feature, I’m willing to forgive the shortcomings.
Irresistible: The Ugly
I’ll keep this short and to the point: Jon Stewart has been sounding his trumpet for years, and we haven’t listened. What does this mean? He’s not slyly implying things in Irresistible, he just comes out and says them by the end. It’s clear, it’s curt, it’s cutting.
Now, for anyone who’s reading this, you’re probably also scrolling through Twitter or your social media platform of choice. All you’ve been seeing are political posts in the last few months. It’s been a hard time. To then be called out for your partisanship and close-mindedness…it can be ugly.
Why would we expect anything different though? If you’re familiar with Jon Stewart, you’re familiar with how he delivers his truth. Need a refresher?
Can’t stand the heat? Don’t rent Irresistible. For anyone with enough critical thinking skills and open-mindedness to watch something that might challenge their opinion, please, stream away.
Wrapping it Up
While it might not be everyone’s cup of tea, I for one will recommend Irresistible wholeheartedly. You don’t have to love it, it doesn’t have to be “the next Vice” or “the biggest things since Bowling for Columbine,” it’s just a good flick. Jon Stewart tells a story in his way, with a great cast, and it’s enjoyable.
It might not be The Daily Show, but Irresistible is worth a stream “in these uncertain times…” where you just don’t know what to watch next.
Enjoy!
While you’re at it, check out our other recommendations for what to watch next.