Theo Rossi is on a roll, and as a new fan, I’m thrilled to follow his journey. In his latest film, Come With Me, Rossi plays Simon Ward, a well-mannered, ordinary and relatable man. While working for a busy trucking company, Simon devotes his limited free time to a steady routine: exercising, spending time with his best friend Gary, nurturing his relationship with his live-in girlfriend Becca, and listening to his favorite radio news program, The Nation.  

Simon may lead the unremarkable life of a middle-class American navigating everyday pressures, but he values its quieter moments—especially listening to the regularly scheduled ideological commentary. Its host, Dalton Kirby, played with commanding intensity by Ron Perlman, delivers political rhetoric that shapes Simon’s understanding of the world. By asking questions such as “Who’s to blame?” and “Who’s the villain?”, Kirby gives Simon an intellectual framework for interpreting the daily conventions he feels compelled to follow.  

Our nation is clearly divided, and change is urgently needed. Simon embraces Kirby’s sermons as divine revelations that explain humanity’s self-destruction and validate his beliefs. Kirby warns that new gods are coming, a great awakening will reshape the universe, and—like the prophecy of a cult—the end of days is near.  

As these thoughts consume him, a home burglary upends Simon’s life, leaving him unable to shake the sense that he has been personally targeted. The violation of his personal space drives Simon to an extreme urge to arm himself and protect his property.

Gradually, Simon succumbs to an obsession with guns and rifles, frequenting the firing range to sharpen his aim, unbeknownst to everyone around him.

Except Gary.  

Unable to cope with the impending death of his terminally ill daughter, Gary is overwhelmed by grief. He ultimately chooses to follow her, seeking an escape from his unbearable pain—and devastating Simon in the process. Reeling from the home invasion and the loss of his best friend, Simon begins to question whether bad things ever happen to bad people—and how he might impose his own judgment through the court of public opinion.  

With his job at risk and Becca’s fidelity in doubt, Simon turns to Dalton Kirby, whom he views as a refuge from the turmoil consuming his life. His effort to thank Kirby for revealing the truth and awakening his patriotism against a corrupt, unjust system quickly unravels, accelerating Simon’s descent into paranoia.  

Was Simon’s admiration for Dalton misplaced? Is Dalton merely another opportunistic false prophet using inflammatory rhetoric to solicit donations? Although Come With Me positions itself as a politically divisive film, I chose to view it neutrally: powerful beliefs presented as absolute truths can reshape anyone’s thinking. The film ultimately advocates civil discourse over violence, personal accountability, and basic decency.

Not every story needs a villain.

Some tales lack truth.

And that realization may be the hardest lesson to accept.