Election Day, aka the most fraught, divisive, and anxiety-inducing time of American politics, is almost upon us once again ... and Hollywood, as always, tends to offer up the perfect distraction (like this past episode of "SNL"). Then again, I suppose that depends on your definition of "perfect." In August of 2008, while then-Presidential nominees Barack Obama and John McCain battled it out in a heated race that would go on to define the next decade-plus of global diplomacy and policymaking, "Yellowstone" star Kevin Costner and co-leads Paula Patton and Kelsey Grammer were busy starring in arguably one of the most misguided pieces of political entertainment until Adam McKay decided he was the right person to write and direct 2018's "Vice." (Okay, fine, that was a low blow.) "Swing Vote" tells the story of how one random, apolitical citizen (Costner) inexplicably becomes the deciding vote in the entire Presidential election, with both major parties fighting to earn his endorsement. Just the type of feel-good story moviegoers of the time were clearly seeking after, right?

"Swing Vote" came from filmmaker Joshua Michael Stern and writers Jason Richman and Joshua Michael Stern, but is that really where the idea for this comedy actually originated? Not according to as bizarre a lawsuit as you'll ever see. Soon after "Swing Vote" released in theaters (to disastrous results, mind you, because even 2008 audiences clearly had no taste for more politics in their escapism), one unexpected source accused the creative team of stealing his script without proper attribution or compensation. And get this: That lawsuit was filed by, of all people, a former aide to President George W. Bush. Yeah, seriously.

Setting aside the fact that his best course of action probably would've been distancing himself as much as possible from such a high-profile and critically-derided flop (/Film once referred to "Swing Vote" as "one of those mildly entertaining yet entirely forgettable movies that you put on late at night to fall asleep to and then never bother finishing the next day"), this unexpected political battle still stands out as one of the most bizarre historical artifacts of the last few decades.