A lot of movies have been described as the best movie or the first comedy or some other superlative “of the Trump era.” But I don’t think I’ve seen anything capture the feelings of powerless rage that come with being a progressive political news addict stuck in the neverending 24-hour news cycle the way this trailer for The Oath does.
The movie centers on Chris (The Mindy Project’s Ike Barinholtz), a “high-strung 24-hour progressive news junkie, and his more levelheaded wife Kai (Tiffany Haddish),” visiting Chris’ family for Thanksgiving. A new White House policy requiring all Americans to sign something called the “Patriot’s Oath” turns what was supposed to be a politics-free holiday into a screaming match, complete, of course, with accusations of being Nazis and snowflakes.
The supporting cast here is also stellar, with Nora Dunn, Carrie Brownstein, Meredith Hagner (Search Party, Set It Up), Jon Barinholtz (Superstore), and Priah Ferguson (Stranger Things), among others. The trailer also gives just the briefest of glimpses of John Cho and Billy Magnussen (two men who I am always* excited to see in a cast) as government agents.
The movie is written and directed (in his feature directorial debut) by Barinholtz (who was also one of the very best parts of Blockers IMO). Tiffany Haddish is an executive producer on the film. It’s also got some of the producers of Get Out and BlacKkKlansman behind it.
The film is set to be released October 12. What do you all think? Are you excited for The Oath or does it maybe hit too close to home?
*Okay, I wasn’t excited to see Magnussen cast as The One White Guy in Aladdin, but that’s the exception.
(image: Topic Studios / Roadside Attractions)
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