Mirroring the mood of contemporary America almost to the letter, Eddington develops a small town story to expose in a striking manner the fragility of an entire nation. Sheriff Joe Cross, struggling to maintain order during the COVID-19 pandemic, finds himself confronting both a political rival and a growing wave of social unrest. What initially appears to be a simple health measure—the wearing of masks—quickly escalates into mass outrage and civil disobedience, turning neighbors against each other.

The sheriff, claiming that the mask mandate has stripped away individual freedom of choice, runs for governor and attempts to steer the course of events in a manner reminiscent of characters once played by John Wayne, the legendary star of Westerns. But gradually, he transforms from being a hero to an anti-hero. Masks, protests, election rallies, and social media campaigns at first seem like ordinary rituals that provide some reassurance to the public, but over time, their meaning hollowed out, a wave of conspiracy theories, polarization, hatred and violence creeps in.