Disclaimer: This movie is rated R for language. If you can’t handle that, please don’t watch it. Oh and Spoilers Ahead.

With November fast approaching, the movie Irresistible is surprisingly poignant and seemingly true to life. With Steve Carell and Rose Byrne, the movie follows the story of Gary Zimmer, a Democratic political consultant, who discovers a viral video of retired war veteran, Colonel Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper), making an inspiring speech invoking the spirit of change in the small, conservative town of Deerlaken, Wisconsin. Trying to bolster his party, Zimmer sets out for the town to implore Hastings to run for mayor as a Democrat.

Zimmer is quick to discover that this town is extremely tight knit and word travels fast. After entertaining encounters with all the townsfolk, he meets the colonel at his farm and makes his case. After much discussion, the colonel voices his apprehension and declines. Zimmer returns to the tavern he is staying at feeling defeated. However, there wouldn’t be a movie if this was the end. Not long after, the colonel appears next to Zimmer’s tavern bed and tells him that he’ll do it with one exception; Zimmer runs the campaign. Thus two unlikely colleagues are formed. Of course, the Republican party catches wind and sends Faith Brewster (Rose Byrne) to assist the other candidate in the election. The two rivals clash upon meeting each other and begin their fierce competition.

As the movie progresses, startling accurate things begin to occur, like the political ads and the formation of Super PACs (independent organizations that can raise money for a campaign but aren’t allowed to contribute/coordinate directly with the party or candidates). Upon seeing them, I had even turned to my family and said, “These are so accurate it’s scary”.

But what’s even more throwing is the ending. Turns out, the election was a farce to bring revenue to the town, which was on the cusp of going under, much to Zimmer’s shock. This action is completely legal as explained in the movie, which holds true to reality.Though I had sensed something odd when Zimmer had first entered the town, I hadn’t expected this. 

Aside from the movie itself, the ideas it carries are deep and poignant. They are, but not limited to, fake news, spinning, political corruption, and being small in a large system. These are even specifically addressed in an end credit scene by Trevor Potter, former commissioner and chairman of the United States Federal Election Commission and the Founder and President of the Campaign Legal Center (a nonprofit organization that works in areas of campaign finance and elections as well as political communication and government ethics). Popular Netflix documentary “The Social Dilemma” tackles these ideas too in a much deeper, rattling sense. I recommend watching both, especially the Social Dilemma (which I also did an article on that can be found in the last issue of the Magazine and possibly soon on The Tribe).