Grassroots (film)

Grassroots is a 2012 American comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal and starring Jason Biggs and Joel David Moore. The film is based on the non-fiction book Zioncheck for President by Phil Campbell, who also co-wrote the screenplay.

The film tells the story of Phil Campbell (Biggs), an unemployed Seattle journalist who reluctantly agrees to manage the underdog city council campaign of his eccentric friend, Grant Cogswell (Moore). Cogswell's platform centers on a single issue: building a monorail in Seattle. As they navigate the cutthroat world of local politics, Phil and Grant challenge the established order and learn valuable lessons about friendship, idealism, and the realities of political campaigns.

The film explores themes of political activism, civic engagement, and the power of grassroots movements. It also satirizes the often-absurd nature of political campaigns and the compromises that are sometimes necessary to achieve one's goals. Grassroots received mixed reviews, with critics praising the performances of Biggs and Moore, but noting pacing and tonal inconsistencies. It was released in select theaters and on video-on-demand in 2012.