Okay, take a second and think back to high school. Was there one single moment that, if it had gone differently, might’ve changed everything? Maybe you said the wrong thing, didn’t take a chance, or missed an opportunity that could’ve altered the whole trajectory of your life. It’s the kind of “what if” question that makes your brain spin — the same kind of butterfly effect that’s powered everything from Back to the Future to our own late-night regrets.
That’s the premise of Re-Election, a new film written, directed by, and starring Adam Saunders, alongside the ever-charming Tony Danza, and a lively ensemble that makes this Texas-set story feel both absurd and heartfelt.
The film follows a man in his forties living in Richardson, Texas, who traces all his life’s disappointments back to one event — losing the race for senior class president to a classmate who went on to become the governor of Texas. Convinced that single moment cursed his life, he decides to return to high school (under the guise of finishing missing credits) and run for re-election, determined to rewrite history.
What sounds like a broad comedy is actually something deeper — a story about personal agency and the lies we tell ourselves about fate. Saunders, who also grew up in Texas and attended Richardson High, said that mix of humor and introspection was intentional. “I think it’s both of those things,” he told me. “It’s that personal idea of looking at, oh my gosh — the sort of prison of self. Just looking at other people, being jealous of other people, feeling like, ‘If I’d only done this, if I’d only said that, if I’d only talked to this person at that party,’ you start spinning in that cycle. That was definitely part of it.”
But Saunders also saw an opportunity to use that personal reflection as a mirror for the times. “I wanted to tell a story on a larger level too,” he said. “I grew up in Texas, went to Richardson High School, just had my 30th reunion this past weekend. I literally flew from Dallas to here to do this. And having lived 20 years in L.A. and New York, it’s so different politically. I wanted to tell a story about politics that both my friends in Texas and my friends on the coasts could relate to — something they could even watch and disagree about, but still watch together.”
That tension — between personal regret and collective identity — makes Re-Election more than just a clever premise. Saunders uses the nostalgia of high school politics to explore what happens when we blame one moment for the course of our entire lives. It’s sharp, funny, and full of heart.
The cast around him brings that emotional realism to life, especially Bex Taylor-Klaus, who plays one of the film’s most grounded characters and provides its emotional center, and Rizwan Manji, who steals scenes as the current Texas governor with an over-the-top accent and perfectly satirical swagger. Their interplay with Saunders keeps the movie from ever feeling self-indulgent; it’s satirical but deeply sincere at the same time.
And then there’s Tony Danza, who plays Saunders’ father — the film’s moral compass, whose résumé spans everything from Taxi to Who’s the Boss?, finds the quiet soul inside the chaos. For him, the film’s theme of self-reflection struck a personal chord. “I think it’s relatable because there’s a lot of people who, as you say, don’t live up to their expectations,” Danza said. “You do have that one moment that maybe… if it had gone differently, who knows? It makes you think about it. It makes you think back and go, when was my tipping point?”
Beneath the laughs and the satirical jabs at politics, there’s a universal truth about growing up — and growing older. It reminds us that the past doesn’t define us unless we let it. The film is part redemption story, part coming-of-middle-age comedy, and part love letter to the moments that make us who we are.
In the end, Re-Election asks a simple but profound question: if you could go back and fix one thing, would you — or would you finally learn to move forward?
It’s one of the year’s most surprisingly heartfelt comedies and a strong recommendation for anyone who believes in second chances, self-awareness, and not letting life’s “what ifs” define your story.
This article appears in Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025.
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Brad Gilmore
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