Jon Stewart’s Irresistible Release Date, Cast, and Trailer

“Twenty bucks says I do better with fear than you do with shame,” Republican political strategist Faith (Rose Byrne) tells Steve Carell‘s Democratic strategist Gary in the first trailer for Irresistible. Jon Stewart’s second feature film will open in North America on May 29, Memorial Day weekend, according to Deadline.  The political satire will hit theaters just in time for election season when the only other new movie on the cinematic ballot is Kenneth Branagh’s Disney fantasy film Artemis Fowl. 

Irresistible was produced by Stewart, along with Plan B, Brad Pitt’s production banner. Focus Features will distribute the film in the U.S., Universal Pictures International will distribute abroad. 

Stewart retired from The Daily Show, in 2015.He made his feature film directorial debut with Rosewater in 2014, which told the real life story of Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, played by Gael Garcia Bernal, who was accused of being a spy and brutally interrogated by Iranian forces. Recently Stewart helped get the 9/11 First Responders Bill passed. 

Irresistible Story

Written and directed by Stewart, Irresistible is a satire about the effect the national political circus has on a small town. “A Democratic political strategist works the campaign for a retired veteran’s bid for Mayor of a small right-wing Wisconsin town,” reads the official synopsis.

“After the Democratic National Committee’s top strategist Gary sees a video of a retired Marine Colonel standing up for the rights of his town’s undocumented workers, Gary believes he has found the key to winning back the Heartland. However, the Republican National Committee counters him by sending in his brilliant nemesis Faith and a local race quickly becomes a fight for the soul of America.”

Irresistible Cast

The film stars Steve Carell as Gary Zimmer, a political strategist for the Democratic party. The former The Daily Show correspondent currently co-stars as morning news anchor Mitch Kessler on Apple TV+’s drama series The Morning Show. The series also stars Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston. Best known for his breakthrough role in The Office, he played in director Adam McKay’s biopic about former vice president Dick Cheney Vice and Universal’s Welcome to Marwen. 

Gary’s Republican counterpart, Faith, is played by Australian actress Rose Byrne, who played Dormé in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and I Am Mother. Byrne is best known for her work in the comedies Get Him to the Greek (2010) and Bridesmaids (2011).

Chris Cooper (Matewan, The Bourne Identity, Little Women) plays retired Marine colonel Jack Hastings. 

The film also stars Mackenzie Davis, Topher Grace, Debra Messing, and Natasha Lyonne. 

Irresistible Trailer

The trailer shows the democratic strategist getting ready to road-test a more rural-friendly message after he sees what he believes is a true political star on the rise. It takes his team a beat or two to build up their enthusiasm. The trailer also reveals the lengths the GOP strategist will go to steal his fire. That is, unless she turns out to be telling the truth about where she’s from.

You can watch the Irresistible trailer here:

Irresistible Release Date

Irresistible opens nationwide May 29.

Culture Editor Tony Sokol cut his teeth on the wire services and also wrote and produced New York City’s Vampyr Theatre and the rock opera AssassiNation: We Killed JFK. Read more of his work here or find him on Twitter @tsokol.