REVIEW: Jon Stewart’s “Irresistible” Misses its Mark

Jon Stewart is back with a brand-new political satire, Irresistible. The movie takes place just after the 2016 election and stars Steve Carell as Democratic political strategist, Gary Zimmer. After Zimmer fails to get Hilary Clinton elected, he wonders how the Democrats can win back the hearts of those in America’s Heartland. When Zimmer comes across a video of Colonel Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper) standing up for undocumented workers in his small town in Wisconsin, Zimmer believes he’s found his way. Zimmer decides Hastings is going to be the first Democrat to run for mayor and when he wins he’ll become the key to helping the Democrats win the Heartland.

Joined in the movie by Rose Byrne as Republican political strategist, Faith Brewster, and Mackenzie Davis as Hasting’s daughter, Diana, Irresistible is far from the witty satire many have come to associate with Stewart and Carell. Both sides of the political spectrum are critiqued and poked fun at but in such a bland, boring way. The movie isn’t funny and the ending’s twist, instead of shocking you, feels more forced than an actual surprise.

Carell is okay as Zimmer which is due to the character being only ok, as well. He has a number of lines meant to be comedic, but even he can’t make them funny. Byrne’s Faith also was a no for me. I love Byrne, but her character and the relationship between Faith and Gary were the worst parts of the movie. There was absolutely nothing funny nor likable about either. Her character as Zimmer’s nemesis does nothing to add to the movie. Even as foil to Carell’s Zimmer, the pair only make each other more unlikable.

Names like Jon Stewart, Steve Carell, Chris Cooper and Rose Byrne may draw you into the movie, but they were not enough to keep me captivated. The further the movie progressed, the less I enjoyed it. It may be for some audiences but I wouldn’t rush to pay money to see it.

Grade: D