We’re still months away from Election Day in November, but already the country is in the throes of full-scale campaigning, complete with mud-slinging, flip-flopping, and back-biting. Ah, politics! Nothing like them! But if you’re already sick of the machinations of the 2012 campaign, Stephen Gyllenhaal’s new film, Grassroots, just might be the right antidote.
Based on a true story, Grassroots pits a starry-eyed newcomer (Joel David Moore) against a big dog city councilman (Cedric the Entertainer) in a 2001 political race. Moore’s Grant Cogswell has one dream, one platform – a new monorail for the city (shades of Singles here). Cedric’s Richard McIver is old school, resting his mass transit ideas on a ground rail train that’s so poorly thought out that Grant is convinced it will destroy the entire city. It doesn’t sound like Grant is going to get anywhere, but then Jason Biggs‘s recently-fired reporter pops up to run his campaign and then the volunteers start rolling in and then…well, you’ll just have to see the movie.
We’re pleased to premiere the first poster for Grassroots, one that makes equal use of Moore and Bigg’s offbeat tactics, the beauty of Seattle, and the film’s well-rounded cast. Check out the full poster for Grassroots after the break, especially if you’re in need of some political maneuvering with an actual sense of humor.
Samuel Goldwyn Films recently picked up the film at Cannes, and they will open it on June 22, after the film premieres at the Seattle International Film Festival on June 10 as the fest’s Closing Night Film.