Opening in limited theatrical release on December 20th, ‘The Brutalist’ seems sure to challenge notions of how long is too long, even when the writer/director in charge is the prodigiously talented Brady Corbet.
Since switching from acting to directing with 2015’s ‘The Childhood of a Leader,’ Brady Corbet has labored away on ‘Vox Lux’ and now this story of one man’s eventful voyage to America, where he strives to build a new life while falling prey to his own vices and other people’s avaricious attitudes. The question is, is there a huge audience for a movie that runs 3 hours and 45 minutes, including a 15 minute intermission?
Will ‘The Brutalist’s Story of an Architect Build an Audience?
Adrien Brody in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24.
Mimicking movies from a bygone era, Corbet’s latest features an overture and an epilogue bookending its giant two-part main runtime. There are certainly times when it all feels like an overblown exercise in experimental filmmaking, but the story and performances are strong enough to shoulder the expectations brought on by that running time.
It doesn’t hurt that it’s all built around a supremely compelling central performance from Adrien Brody and enough incident to actually fill the story, though you can certainly see chunks where Corbet might have benefitted from tightening the whole thing up. Still, it’s a remarkable achievement, and all the more impressive give that the budget was just $6 million –– compare that to ‘Joker: Folie à Deux’ which did a lot less with $190 million.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Joe Alwyn, Guy Pearce, Adrien Brody, and Felicity Jones in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24.
Corbet wrote his latest with regular creative (and real-life) partner Mona Fastvold and while their screenplay swings between authentic and wildly melodramatic, it serves the movie well enough, powering the performances and creating an impressively sweeping story given the resources available.
While Brody’s central character naturally scores the lion’s share of dialogue, one or two others get the chance to shine, but it’s much more weighted towards one man’s story than building truly rounded portrayals of everyone, which few movies can attempt, even when they have the sort of mammoth running time on display here.
Corbet has certainly learned a lot from his previous directorial efforts, and he stretches those dollars impressively, blending archive footage with small intimate moments in chambers and the stark, sweeping Pennsylvania hills where Brody’s László Tóth does his celebrated work.
Cast and Performances
Brody’s is our core character through the story, but there is also room for other actors to shine in support.
Adrien Brody as László Tóth
Adrien Brody in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24.
Playing the architect whose concrete-heavy work gives the film its title, Brody is predictably wonderful, showing the character’s humanity in all its various shades. A Jewish refugee from post-World War II Budapest, he arrives in the United States desperate to find his own version of the American Dream, initially indulging in all the pleasures it has to offer.
His immigrant story is far from an easy one –– initially forced to rely on the charity of relatives already established in the States, he’s then in an even worse situation, reduced to construction work and shoveling coal to make ends meet, a far cry from his heyday as an architect at home before the war.
But when he scores the patronage of a wealthy Pennsylvania magnate and learns his wife has survived the Nazis, his life is seemingly made –– if only he could avoid giving in to his own demons. This is a tour de force for Brody, who commits fully to the role and keeps you watching even as his director indulges in long stretches that try the patience.
Reduced to simply a voice in letters in the first half of the film, Jones is a revelation when her character properly arrives in the second. Tóth’s determined wife, sickened by her circumstances, energizes the later stages of the film and Jones is great all through her section, with one incredible scene we won’t spoil near the end.
As the flinty, shrewd businessman and property magnate, Pearce does great work with what could have been a one-note performance. He makes an impact from his first entrance, and Van Buren is a force through the movie, for both good and ill.
Supporting cast
Isaach de Bankolé in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24.
One or two other parts make an impact beyond the central three –– Raffey Cassidy as the main couple’s nervy niece Zsófia is all wide-eyed, deer-in-headlights energy (which hides a spine of steel), while Isaach De Bankolé is more than simply Tóth’s best friend, a dedicated single father he meets on the Pennsylvania breadlines.
And in a smaller but pivotal part, we have Jonathan Hyde as Leslie, the project manager assigned to oversee Tóth’s big build for Van Buren, who is practically tearing his hair out working with (or for, if you see it Tóth’s way) the mercurial architect.
Final Thoughts
Adrien Brody in ‘The Brutalist’. Photo: A24.
Corbet’s meditation on immigration, survivor’s guilt, and the dangers of pursuing your personal ambitions will not be for everyone. If the idea of nearly four hours in the cinema (admittedly with a break in the middle) watching someone struggle and suffer is appealing, then ‘The Brutalist’ represents one of the best examples of the genre.
It’s ambitious, thoughtful and will likely be in the awards conversation this year.
‘The Brutalist’ receives 7 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘The Brutalist’?
Fleeing from post-war Europe in 1947, a visionary architect (Adrien Brody) and his wife (Felicity Jones) settle in Pennsylvania where a wealthy and mysterious client (Guy Pearce) changes their lives forever.
(L to R) Delante Desouza as Michael Cooper, Quentin A. Shropshire as James Worthy, Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson, Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Joel Allen as Kurt Rambis in HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.’ Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO.
Given that the show A) was about one of the most famous sports dynasties in the history of basketball and B) that its first season –– on HBO, no less, a channel not given to the whims of advertisers and more likely to show faith in a series –– had been generally well received, it was not outrageous to believe that viewers would learn of a Season 3 for ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ as the Season 2 finale was about to air.
Instead, what we got was news that it was cancelled.
To rub salt into the wounds, Season 2 ends as the Lakers suffer a historic defeat at the hands of huge rivals the Boston Celtics, leaving the show on a seriously down note.
(Center) Michael Chiklis as Red Auerbach in HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.’ Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO.
What was the story of ‘Winning Time’ Season 2?
(L to R) Quincy Isaiah as Magic Johnson and Solomon Hughes as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.’ Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO.
Season 1 kicked off with hard-living businessman Jerry Buss (John C. Reilly) taking a financial gamble on the Lakers and clashing with coaches over drafting certain players. It covered the 1979-1980 NBA season and ended in triumph with the Lakers winning against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Though it was thought that the show might use the one-season/one NBA season model, Season 2 was different, partly tackling 1984, but also winding back the clock to cover 1980/82/83 across roughly half the episodes. It ends, as mentioned, with the 1984 defeat by the Celtics.
Sadly, it appears the show’s future was derailed by a combo of cost-cutting at the network and strike delays, since it was an expensive show to produce and hadn’t quite broken out the same way as, say, ‘Game of Thrones’.
What would have happened in Season 3?
(Center) Sean Patrick Small as Larry Bird in HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.’ Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO.
In an interview with The Wrap conducted before the series’ fate had been determined, executive producer Kevin Messick outlined his plans for a third season –– and beyond.
Here’s what he said:
“In real life, the Lakers come back and beat the Celtics the next year. So that would absolutely be at the heart of any Season. In terms of the longevity of the show, there’s a lot more Laker stories to tell, a lot more characters, larger than life, as big and bigger than Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar that have yet to enter onto the stage.”
Adrien Brody as Pat Riley in HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.’ Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO.
And he also outlined plans to keep mining sportswriter Jeff Pearlman’s book ‘Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s’ for more material, along a host of other sources.
Here’s Messick on that:
“If the show is successful, we bought the rights to Jeff’s books that keep chronicling the adventures. We’ll keep creating great seasons, hopefully that allow us to come back and fight another day, but we’re gonna take it one season at a time.”
Pearlman himself was eager for the show to return, writing on twitter last month about his hopes…
As it is, viewers had to make do with a series of pictures with title cards showing what happened to the various players, coaching staff and other team members would get up to in the future, including the Lakers winning their next two Finals matchups with Boston, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holding the NBA career scoring record for nearly 40 years, temperamental Jerry West coming into his own as Lakers’ GM and eventually trading for the draft rights to Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson being diagnosed with HIV, Magic and old flame Cookie still being married today after 32 years, and, the Jeanie Buss-run (Jerry’s daughter) Lakers winning another title in 2020.
It’s telling that the montage version was one of two delivered to channel executives, suggesting that the writing may have been on the wall, at least internally. A disappointing ending, then –– a little like the real-life events portrayed in the season, now series, finale.
(L to R) John C. Reilly as Jerry Buss and Hadley Robinson as Jeanie Buss in HBO’s ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.’ Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO.
Other Movies Similar to ‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’:
(L to R) Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
For his latest, ‘Anderson’ is working on two levels. The first is the production of a play called ‘Asteroid City’, written by playwright Conrad Earp (Edward Norton). His new stage production is itself the subject of a TV documentary fronted by Bryan Cranston’s unnamed host, which is peeking into the creative process behind the work.
We watch some of the cast outside the play, and Earp at work on the script, before sets are built and other actors are introduced. Then the movie itself follows the story of the play, introducing us to war photographer Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman), who is bringing son Woodrow (Jake Ryan) to the titular desert town to take part in a Junior Stargazers event when his car develops trouble.
Steenbeck, who is recently widowed, calls his father-in-law, Stanley Zak (Tom Hanks) to pick up Woodrow and Auggie’s three daughters (who have yet to learn the news of their mother’s passing), and makes the most of the situation.
Asteroid City is hosting the Stargazers’ event partly because it is the site of an asteroid that landed 5,000 years ago and has attracted various characters to its dusty locale. The event, incidentally, is interrupted by the arrival of an alien, who takes the asteroid.
Steve Carell in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Who else is in ‘Asteroid City’?
In true Anderson style, the director has tapped many from his recurring roster of actors besides Schwartzman. Scarlett Johansson plays Midge Campbell, Jeffrey Wright is General Grif Gibson, Tilda Swinton is Dr. Hickenlooper, Adrien Brody is Schubert Green, Tony Revolori is Gibson’s
Aide-de-Camp, while Jeff Goldblum plays a role we won’t reveal here.
New to one of his films this time is Hanks plus Steve Carell (as a motel manager), Maya Hawke (as a teacher overseeing school students) and Margot Robbie (as the actress who was to have played Auggie’s late wife in flashback scenes cut from the play).
Writer/director Wes Anderson on the set of ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Roger Do Minh/Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features
Andersonian style
At this point, we all know what to expect from a Wes Anderson films. He has such an established style that he’s been parodied many times. And if you’re expecting a giant switch in terms of the visuals here, you will be disappointed. Likewise, his arch, dialogue-heavy tone is also on full display.
Anderson is a singular director, and if you buy into the vibe and feel of his movies, you’ll have a good time with ‘Asteroid City’. He’s created another set of memorable characters and an engaging locale for them to inhabit. And the idea of the play wrapping makes this stand out compared to the relative disappointment of ‘The French Dispatch’, which suffered from its split storyline.
(L to R) Grace Edwards as Dinah, Scarlett Johansson as Midge Campbell and Damien Bonnaro as Bodyguard/Driver in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
It helps that the director’s usual company are past masters at delivering his dialogue (here written by Anderson from a story by him and regular collaborator Roman Coppola) and bringing the characters to life.
Johansson (marking her second Anderson movie after voicing a character in ‘Isle of Dogs’) fits in well with the usual crowd, bringing a dual role to life. She plays the actress hired to take the role of Midge Campbell, a movie star who becomes something of a focal point for Auggie. Hanks also blends seamlessly into this world as Auggie’s stern (but not cold-hearted) in-law, a rich man with little time or patience for nonsense.
Bryan Cranston stars as “Host” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Cranston doesn’t have as much to do as the host, but he does fulfill the role with gravitas, while Norton is great as Earp, a troubled sort with a tragic fate.
But despite the large ensemble, this is truly Schwartzman’s film, and the Anderson veteran is more than up to the task of keeping Auggie feeling like a relatable human being amidst all the idiosyncrasy. His relationship with Woodrow is also well-defined, while Ryan is a nervy, yet still likable teen struggling with a mixture of genius and stirring hormones, the latter helped along by the presence of Midge’s daughter Dinah (Grace Edwards).
Around them, there are fun turns from Carell (whose motel manager is obsessed with vending machine and guests’ juice choices) and Wright’s general, who has to deal with endless governmental orders and gives enjoyably rambling speeches.
(L to R) Fisher Stevens, Jeffrey Wright, Tony Revolori, and Bob Balaban in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Space oddities
There are a few issues with the film, though they don’t affect its impact too much. Some of the cast have so little to do (Willem Dafoe, for example, whose role is essentially a wordless cameo) that you have to think they only turned up to do the director a favor and that their parts might have been better played by unknown actors. Others, such as Swinton, make the most of smaller roles, but are offered little in the way of depth or story.
And there is, of course, the divisive nature of Anderson’s output –– if you find his movies lacking heart and substance, then we can’t really recommend checking out his latest for all the reasons that devotees will enjoy it. And there are some elements, such as a roadrunner puppet, that deserves more screentime (the roadrunner does at least get his due during a fun musical sequence that plays over the end credits).
Still, there is a lot to like about ‘Asteroid City’, its quirks never overriding its charms. There are human stories to be found here, and some entertainingly out-there sci-fi moments to help Anderson newcomers settle into the place and time.
‘Asteroid City’ receives 7.5 out of 10 stars.
(L to R) Writer/director Wes Anderson, actor Jason Schwartzman and actor Tom Hanks on the set of ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Roger Do Minh/Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
(L to R, Top Row) Rupert Friend, Hope Davis, Bryan Cranston, Adrien Brody, and Maya Hawke. (L to R, Bottom Row) Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Schwartzman, Jake Ryan and filmmaker Wes Anderson.
Director Wes Anderson has accrued, over the course of his career, 15 Academy Award nods and 10 Golden Globe nominations for his work. His films — known for their mannered, eccentric sincerity, underplayed emotions, and symmetrical compositions against diorama-style backgrounds — have also evolved into almost their own genre.
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His 11th big-screen effort, ‘Asteroid City,’ recently enjoyed its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie takes place in a fictional desert town circa 1955, where the carefully planned weekend itinerary of a junior scholastic achievers group — organized to bring together gifted teenagers interested in science and technology — is interrupted by the arrival of an outer space alien.
A government-mandated lockdown ensues. Against this backdrop, war photographer and newly single father of four Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) meets Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson), an actress simultaneously accompanying her daughter and researching a new role.
The additional wrinkle? This entire story is actually framed as a stageplay, whose creation and casting is being explored as part of an anthology TV series narrated by a buttoned-up host (Bryan Cranston).
Here are 10 things we learned from the ’Asteroid City’ press conference, edited for clarity and length.
1. ‘Asteroid City’ Began as a Mash-Up of Three Ideas, Set in an Automat
Writer/director Wes Anderson on the set of ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Roger Do Minh/Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features
The film’s desert setting seems integral to both its telling, and the contrast that Anderson sought to develop and explore within his split narrative. But that wasn’t always the case.
Wes Anderson: For me, starting a movie, starting to write a script, is usually not one idea for it. It’s a couple of ideas — two or three things. Roman Coppola and I created this thing together, and I would say on this one the three ideas were that we wanted to write a part for Jason Schwartzman at the center of a movie that would be something he hadn’t done before. So that was number one. We didn’t really know what it was, but we sort of had a few notions about what this character was going through. The second thing was we were interested in the setting of 1950s kind of New York theater, or a golden age of Broadway-ish thing. In this case, sort of the Actors Studio variety of it. And the other thing was we thought we’d tell a story of the play they’re putting on. And the original thing was a play called ‘Automat,’ and it was gonna all be (set) in this automat. And then we sort of decided, you know, that’s too small. So we expanded it just to the desert. And I guess it then became something like this interaction of a black-and-white New York stage and a color, CinemaScope-ish western kind of story, where everybody’s both an actor and the role they’re playing, and they kind of mix together.
2. Anderson’s Use of Detailed Animatics Left Tom Hanks Initially Wondering If ‘Asteroid City’ Was an Animated Film
(L to R) Jake Ryan, Jason Schwartzman and Tom Hanks in director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Hanks first met Wes Anderson 15 years ago in Rome, at a dinner. Though they’d crossed paths some since then, he was surprised to receive a casting solicitation via email — and wasn’t prepared for the animatic which accompanied it, a product of Anderson’s stop-motion animation productions.
Tom Hanks: This came about literally because of a lovely email that said, “Would you like to come and join us?” And I said, “Yeah, sure.” But what is odd is he sends you a version of the movie that doesn’t really need you. The animatic of the film that he put together — which I thought was [Jason’s] voice, because I know they collaborate so much, but it was all just Wes — is incredible. So you see a complete animatic version of the movie, which I watched, and I called him up and said, “Well, I’m in, but I don’t see how you need anybody to do this now.” Because just the animatic looked like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ to us! All this stuff that you hear about turned out to be true. I haven’t seen a Wes Anderson movie that I didn’t wish that I was in, so it was great to be a part of this and the role was great. I think [Wes] used the reference, “We’re looking for a retired Ronald Reagan-type.” And I go, “I’m your man, I can do that.”
3. How the ‘Asteroid City’ Script Was Like a Bag of Halloween Candy
Jason Schwartzman stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’
Jason Schwartzman’s career is of course inextricably linked to Anderson’s, having made his film debut in 1998’s highly acclaimed ‘Rushmore.’ A quarter-century later, though, their relationship is still informed by the same dynamics.
Jason Schwartzman: To be able to work with him is a really rare and special thing. And I think the one thing I value the most about our relationship is that it seems like it’s sort of as it was when we first met — like, the second we met, we started talking about music. It’s about sharing things that we were interested in. And I think that over the years, we’ve been through so many different things. But it’s fun to come back and to share the things that you’ve experienced with someone that you know and love. And it’s about going off and having adventures, you know? It’s kind of like Halloween — like dumping out all your stuff, you know, and seeing what you’re interested in. So when I read a script (of his), I’m catching up with my friend in a way too. So I think fundamentally, the idea of enthusiasm and curiosity about something else being out there — that’s, like, the fundamental thing of our relationship. And I think any good relationship, I guess, is letting the other person grow and then bring it back.
4. Yes, Things Got Complicated For the Actors
Scarlett Johansson stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’
Almost all the actors in ‘Asteroid City’ have the challenge of playing their main, outward-facing characters, as well as the actors then portraying them. Sometimes, points of real-life reference helped in building out these complex characterizations — including for Scarlett Johannson, who had to play two performers.
Scarlett Johannson: Wes and I talked about and kind of tried to figure out [what] old Hollywood star was the Midge Campbell character. We shared some ideas about what type of a person this could be, or what kind of career she could’ve had. Did she come through the Actor’s Studio? And what did she sound like? And, you know, I mean, I liked Bette Davis, because I thought her career was a good shape. And she felt like, you know, Bette Davis feels, I don’t know — when you watch her, she seems comfortable in the space she takes up. So I felt like that could be a good beginning. And also her voice, actually — she has a little bit of that Mid-Atlantic thing. So understanding where that came from and all that stuff was very helpful.
5. Bryan Cranston Found Inspiration in Rod Serling and Ted Koppel
Bryan Cranston stars as “Host” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
If the framing device of ‘Asteroid City’ can seem confusing on the page, the personified glue that holds it together and makes it such an easygoing watch is Bryan Cranston’s emcee. For his role, the actor thought of himself as a venerable newscaster.
Bryan Cranston: This is a movie about a television show that’s doing an expose on a theater piece. That in itself is kind of a Russian doll sort of thing. And then there’s the actors who are also playing (other roles). So when you read that in script form, it can be a little daunting. And whether you’re playing a lead part or a supporting role, you look for your slice — what is my contribution to the story? And in this, my expositional dialogue sets up the structure of what the audience is about to see. There were a lot of names — lots of interesting names that I had to get straight in my head. But I also thought, I should be the one without any emotion. I should just be a blank slate so that people just listen and then follow along and try to key in. Just open up, introduce, and then hand off — I thought that was probably the best thing I could do. So something almost like Rod Serling or Ted Koppel’s voice kept popping into my head — some kind of established journalistic presence is what I was going for.
6. Jake Ryan Won His Role With an Audition Scene on Tape
(L to R) Jake Ryan as “Woodrow”, Grace Edwards as “Dinah”, Ethan Josh Lee as “Ricky”, and Aristou Meehan as “Clifford” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Jake Ryan had worked for Anderson before, in a small role in 2012’s ‘Moonrise Kingdom‘ and later providing a voice in ‘Isle of Dogs.’ But for the crucial role of Woodrow Steenbeck, Augie’s son, the filmmaker auditioned him just like any other actor — and was blown away by his maturity.
Jake Ryan: After ‘Moonrise,’ we’ve sort of kept in touch. [Wes] had me be a part of, like, a bunch of different projects. I would like to think that I had matured a little bit (laughs), and vaguely understood what I was doing at this point. So when I got the audition for this, I mean, he knew me and I knew [Wes and Jason], kind of. But I was just excited to reunite. And after I got the part, I just felt like I wanted to prove to myself that I’ve grown up a little bit, I would say.
Wes Anderson: You know what, can I say, the thing that struck me was, because I have known you for so long, I was like, well, probably this is just gonna be Jake. But we still read people. And Jake had done lots of other good work along the way. But the particular thing was, there’s a scene where you and Scarlett are on this train together. And this scene, I wasn’t really sure who it was even going to be, this understudy (character) — how does he fit in? And you did that one. I said we wanted to do a video of this, and you sent me a video and when I saw it, I said, “Wow, he’s definitely matured.” (laughs) I mean, you really played it like an actor who’s taking a scene and interpreting it, and in control of it. You were very, very good in that one.
Scarlett Johannson: It’s only my favorite scene in the entire movie.
7. Anderson Pushes His Actors, But In a Good Way
Jeffrey Wright stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’
According to Jeffrey Wright, Anderson’s eye for detail extends to insert shots, even if he’s not shooting them himself.
Jeffrey Wright: So, you know, you do inserts in films. And usually it’s about, you know, five or ten minutes, a couple of shots, boom, of just inserted objects, and then you’re gone. We did an insert in this film… (laughs) there’s a moment in which my hand touches a holster, flips up the flap, and grips the weapon. That took about 60 takes. Four hours. But I understood why. Now, obviously, it’s not a performance thing for me, but it was really about trying to find a certain cleanliness to the [movement] that we couldn’t quite achieve until — and I’ll give away a little family secret, I guess — we had a prop guy standing to my left, the lens here to my right, my body hiding him. So I flip up the flap on the holster, and the prop guy puts his finger on it, keeps it up. The camera, the frame, is below his finger. And then I slide my hand down, and it worked. But it was really, like, kind of an equation that we had to figure out. And we finally figured it out. It was the wildest, strangest thing. But, you know, I kind of loved finding the answer.
8. Despite This Perfectionism and His Fondness for Animatics, Anderson Is Still Open to Suggestions
(L to R) Writer/director Wes Anderson, actor Jason Schwartzman and actor Tom Hanks on the set of ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Roger Do Minh/Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Again, the incredible specificity of Anderson’s movies gives them a singular feeling. But he’s always up for fresh ideas, too. For Hanks, that included the notion of shooting golf chip shots in the background during the set-up for his character’s introduction.
Tom Hanks: (As one of) the folks that were there for the first time, I wondered if we got to have ideas. I mean, do we get to, like, come in and say, “Hey, you know, I was thinking about this?” So we asked some of the veterans about it. And they said, “Yeah, sure, sure, sure.” And we would, but then [Wes] would say, “Well, we don’t have enough set to shoot that.” (laughs) You know, that would sometimes be something. But I found [Wes] to be just as flexible as anybody would be, provided that you’re not, you know, going south so far out of the realm of what [he’s] going for.
9. ‘Asteroid City’ Reminded Some of Its Cast of Their Theater Days
(L to R) Tom Hanks as Stanley Zak, Hope Davis as Sandy Borden, and Tony Revolori as Aide-de-Camp in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Anderson’s meticulously ordered movies evoke such a specific tone and feel that one wonders if they afford actors any freedom, or enjoyment. The answer is yes.
Hope Davis: “The piece that feels theatrical is that it feels very loose, the way my early days in the theater felt — especially when we were rehearsing. We were all jumping around in the desert with air guns in our hands. It had that kind of looseness. You know, moviemaking can be very slow and dull. And this just felt so alive and so playful, so it reminds you why you got into [acting] in the first place for me. You’re finding it in the moment. I mean, some people come in and they know all their lines and they know where they want to go, but most of us, you’re finding it as you go. And I feel like we had the freedom to do that, but we also had the animatic in our heads, so we knew exactly what the frames were going to end up being.”
10. No, Wes Anderson Is Not Breaking Up With Bill Murray
Rupert Friend stars in ‘Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City.’
In the confused timelines of some internet agitators, the absence of Bill Murray, a frequent Anderson collaborator, in ‘Asteroid City’ is a sign that the filmmaker is parting ways with the legendary performer in the wake of a sexual harassment complaint against him on the set of Aziz Ansari’s ‘Being Mortal’ — even though the incident in question occurred in April 2022, many months after Anderson’s film commenced shooting. The truth is that Murray contracted COVID, which prevented him from joining the cast. But he visited the production later during filming, providing a memorable moment for one of its costars.
Rupert Friend: Wes wrote one of his more succinct stage directions in the scene where we have our musical number. It just said, “They dance.” That was it. We kept saying, “When’s the choreographer coming? When’s the rehearsal?” And it was like, “Oh, yeah, another time, another time.” [On the day of shooting] we hadn’t had any of that, and it was just a kind of go-for-it moment. I had a feeling of exuberance, because I remember it was actually an amazing moment. I don’t know if you saw this, Wes, but when we did our thing, I threw my hat in the air, and behind the camera that day, Bill Murray had come to visit set, and he just caught it at that exact moment. It was just perfect.
(L to R) Rupert Friend as “Montana”, Stephen Park as “Roger Cho”, Hope Davis as “Sandy Borden”, Jason Schwartzman as “Augie Steenbeck”, Tilda Swinton as “Dr. Hickenlooper”, Jeffrey Wright as “General Gibson”, Tony Revolori as “Aide-de-Camp”, Bob Balaban as “Larkings Executive”, Mike Maggart as “Detective #2”, Fisher Stevens as “Detective #1” in writer/director Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Pop. 87 Productions/Focus Features.
Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Evans Vestal Ward/Peacock.
Premiering with its first four episodes on Peacock on January 26th, ‘Poker Face’ marks Rian Johnson’s latest successful stab at the mystery genre.
The filmmaker, who made his name with Sundance sensation ‘Brick’, has often tackled mysteries in his work, most notably with the two ‘Knives Out’ movies, in which Daniel Craig’s smart sleuth Benoit Blanc uncovers dastardly deeds among spoiled rich folk (in the 2019 original) and weird influencers (in last year’s follow up).
Along with an abiding affection for Agatha Christie and other mystery writers, Johnson has often professed his love for TV series such as ‘Columbo’, where Peter Falk’s scruffy, genius detective first befriends and then unmasks killers.
Adrien Brody as Sterling Frost Jr. in ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Phillip Caruso/Peacock.
‘Poker Face’ channels the latter, featuring Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale, a casino worker with a special gift—she can tell when people are lying. She can’t always figure out exactly why they’re lying, but she knows a falsehood, which has made her an enemy of the gambling boss, represented by casino boss Sterling Frost Jr, played perfectly by Adrien Brody in the premiere.
Despite his casino magnate father wanting Charlie away from the tables, Frost convinces Charlie that they can scam one of the “whales” (a big gambler who is now running private poker games from his suite) at the establishment with a rigged game. It all falls apart when Charlie’s friend Natalie (Dascha Polanco), a member of the housekeeping team, catches the whale with something illegal and goes to her boss, who has his enforcer Cliff Legrand (Benjamin Bratt) to kill the whistleblower and her deadbeat husband.
An impressive pilot sets out the show’s stall, introducing us to Charlie’s world––she lives in a trailer near the casino and tries to stay out of trouble––and then shattering it in the wake of her figuring out what really happened to Natalie. The resulting, potentially lethal blowback sends Charlie on the run, trying to stay one step ahead of Cliff, who is sent to find and silence her.
Benjamin Bratt as Cliff Legrand in ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock.
Thus the basic premise of the show, which finds Charlie traveling from place to place and stumbling upon liars, cheats and murderers wherever she goes.
As with ‘Columbo’s basic format, ‘Poker Face’ shows the audience exactly how the murder of the week went down before spinning the clock back a couple of days to reveal how Charlie came to be involved. And then it gets down to the meat of the series, to show Charlie investigating and then solving the murder.
In a neat twist, her own fugitive status means that the stories never get wrapped up in a neat bow with Charlie able to call the police. Doing as much as she can to stay off the radar (even getting money from an ATM is fraught with the risk that Cliff will be able to track her down), she accepts odd jobs, which leads to her being drawn into the mystery.
Rian Johnson, Creator and Executive Producer of ‘Poker Face’ at the Hollywood Legion Theater on January 23, 2023. Photo by: Jesse Grant/Peacock.
Because of that trick of showing how the murder plays out, ‘Poker Face’ falls into the category that’s less whodunnit and more “howcatchem”––Charlie rocking up and figuring out what’s really going on. Though the crimes are frequently ridiculous, there are still stakes to be found. And no one is coming to this show for gritty, overinflated “realism” as peddled by so many case-of-the-week shows cluttering up network television. It also looks great––no doubt helped by some of Johnson’s cinematic team crossing over. The mix of classic style and modern sheen works.
Charlie moving on each week like David Banner on TV’s ‘The Incredible Hulk’ means that Johnson and co. (he wrote and directed the pilot but worked on the series with showrunners Nora and Lilla Zuckerman) can rely on a rich field of guest stars.
Across the first six episodes provided for review, the stories include one set amongst a punk rock band (anchored by Chloe Sevigny as the bitter lead singer who is trying to tour again after working for years at a home improvement store), another at a care home for the elderly whose resident roster boasts the likes of former revolutionaries with a score to settle played by Judith Light and S. Epatha Merkerson. A highlight is an episode featuring Tim Meadows and Ellen Barkin as actors looking to revisit their glory days whose shared resentment just might turn deadly.
Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in Peacock’s ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock.
Lyonne has found a fertile creative ground in TV, between the likes of ‘Orange is the New Black’ and, more recently, the time-twisting ‘Russian Doll’. ‘Poker Face’ represents her latest captivating turn, playing Charlie with charm and intuition. Despite the constant specter of death (and the threat to her own life), she keeps it fun and light, proving to be a more than disarming anchor for the stories.
Though we’ve all gotten used to serialized shows being held up as the gold standard in the age of “prestige TV”, Johnson and his team definitely find something new in a seemingly old format. Procedural it may be, but ‘Poker Face’ is anything but a bluff. It’s more like a winning hand.
Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock.
Rian Johnson clearly enjoys being a man of mystery. Not in an ‘Austin Powers’ way – he’s a master at coming up with mystery stories.
These days, he’s very focused on the ‘Knives Out’ franchise, having secured a huge two-movie deal with Netflix off the back of the box office success of the 2019 original.
‘Glass Onion’, the latest outing, which sees Daniel Craig back as drawling detective Benoit Blanc, will be in on limited release in theaters from November 23rd, ahead of its launch on Netflix’s servers on December 23rd.
And mystery helped him secure his big break with Sundance success story ‘Brick’ back in 2005. The drama saw a teenage loner pushing his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend.
It’s perhaps no mystery, then – pun intended – that Johnson would whip up a mystery for his first stab at a TV show, conjured with Natasha Lyonne in the lead role of Charlie, who has an extraordinary ability to determine when someone is lying. She hits the road in her Plymouth Barracuda and with every stop encounters a new cast of characters and strange crimes she can’t help but solve.
Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in Peacock’s ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock.
“Never underestimate the power of a good dinner conversation between friends. What started as a discussion over steak frites about detective shows and what made them such a reliable pleasure — the exploration of little worlds within each new setting, the guest stars playing killers and victims, and most importantly, a scrappy protagonist you were always ready to kick back with and see win — ultimately resulted in the creation of Charlie, the driving force behind ‘Poker Face’,” say Johnson and Lyonne in a statement.
“We invite you to follow Charlie on a cross-country road trip as she meets a rogue’s gallery of characters and avenges a new injustice each episode, armed with little more than her uncanny ability to detect lies and a genuine appreciation for her fellow humans (and the occasional dog). Now please leave the overthinking to Rian, who has masterfully crafted ten self-contained puzzles for Charlie to solve. Just jump in the back of her ‘69 Plymouth Barracuda and enjoy the ride,” they add.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt! However did he score that guy? Oh, right… they’ve worked together multiple times, including on ‘Brick’.
‘Poker Face’ will launch on Peacock with its first four episodes on January 26th. The remaining six episodes will land weekly on Thursdays.
Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in Peacock’s ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock.Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in Peacock’s ‘Poker Face.’ Photo by: Karolina Wojtasik/Peacock.
On the heels of the first teaser for Andrew Dominik’s new movie, ‘Blonde’ comes the first full trailer. Though it really is just an extension of that initial look, probing a little deeper into the world of Marilyn Monroe.
Adapting Joyce Carol Oates’ novel, this is described as a “reimagining” of Norma Jean’s/Marilyn’s life. So don’t expect gospel truth, but then truth was never always at the forefront of Marilyn’s story. At least for the public. “Watched by all, seen by none” runs the telling tagline on the trailer.
From her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, ‘Blonde’ blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves. Norma Jean is here brought to life by ‘Knives Out’ and ‘No Time to Die’ rising star Ana de Armas.
Ana de Armas as Norma Jeane Mortensen / Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’
“Andrew’s ambitions were very clear from the start — to present a version of Marilyn Monroe’s life through her lens,” says de Armas. “He wanted the world to experience what it actually felt like to not only be Marilyn, but also Norma Jeane. I found that to be the most daring, unapologetic, and feminist take on her story that I had ever seen.”
“The film moves along with her feelings and her experiences,” de Armas adds. “There are moments when we are inside of her body and mind, and this will give the audience an opportunity to experience what it was like to be Norma and Marilyn at the same time.”
(L to R) Adrien Brody as Arthur Miller and Ana de Armas as Norma Jeane Mortensen / Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’
This take on her experiences gave Dominik real scope to explore the private life of an icon. “She’s deeply traumatized, and that trauma necessitates a split between a public self and a private self, which is the story of everyone, but with a famous person, that often plays out publicly, in ways that may cause additional trauma,” he says. “The film’s very much concerned with the relationship with herself and with this other persona, Marilyn, which is both her armor and the thing that is threatening to consume her.”
Dominik has had to wrangle with plenty of opinions on the film and its subject as he’s pushed the passion project through production. Controversy arose over the film’s NC-17 rating and its gritty depiction of sex and addiction, which were part of Norma Jean’s life.
“I seem to get myself in these situations where people regard me as provocative, but it’s never what I’m trying to do,” the director argues. “I’m just trying to say it as clearly as I can. My ambition is to make you fall in love with Marilyn.”
‘Blonde’ will arrive on Netflix on September 23rd.
(L to R) Writer and director Andrew Dominik, Bobby Cannavale as Joe DiMaggio, and Ana de Armas as Norma Jeane Mortensen / Marilyn Monroe on the set of Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’(L to R) Bobby Cannavale as Joe DiMaggio and Ana de Armas as Norma Jeane Mortensen / Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’Ana de Armas as Norma Jeane Mortensen / Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’
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Mostly what we’ve heard of the new film from ‘Killing Them Softly’ director Andrew Dominik has been about its controversial NC-17 rating. Now, for the first time in teaser form, we’re getting our first – chaste – look at ‘Blonde’.
‘Blonde’ aims to reimagine the life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons, Marilyn Monroe. From her volatile childhood as Norma Jeane, through her rise to stardom and romantic entanglements, ‘Blonde’ blurs the lines of fact and fiction to explore the widening split between her public and private selves.
The teaser makes this very clear – an emotional Norma Jeane, shy and withdrawn, slowly transforms into the sparkly Marilyn that is seen on stages and screens. There are glimpses from elsewhere in the movie, though it’s mostly her public persona.
And, of course, we’re treated to a slowed down/distorted cover of a song, in this case, “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend”, as performed by Marylin in 1953’s ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’, with the scene recreated in the new movie.
Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’
“Andrew’s ambitions were very clear from the start — to present a version of Marilyn Monroe’s life through her lens,” says de Armas. “He wanted the world to experience what it actually felt like to not only be Marilyn, but also Norma Jeane. I found that to be the most daring, unapologetic, and feminist take on her story that I had ever seen.”
This take on her experiences gave Dominik real scope to explore the private life of an icon. “She’s deeply traumatized, and that trauma necessitates a split between a public self and a private self, which is the story of everyone, but with a famous person, that often plays out publicly, in ways that may cause additional trauma,” he says. “The film’s very much concerned with the relationship with herself and with this other persona, Marilyn, which is both her armor and the thing that is threatening to consume her.”
He’d also prefer that people focus less on the perceived wrangling over the NC-17 rating. The film is sincere. It’s made with love. It’s made with good intentions. But it’s full of rage at the same time,” says Dominik, “I seem to get myself in these situations where people regard me as provocative, but it’s never what I’m trying to do. I’m just trying to say it as clearly as I can. My ambition is to make you fall in love with Marilyn.”
‘Blonde’ will arrive on Netflix on September 23rd.
Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’Ana de Armas as Marilyn Monroe in Netflix’s ‘Blonde.’
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Opening in theaters, on digital rental, and VOD beginning January 28th is ‘Clean,’ from director Paul Solet. The film stars Oscar winner Adrien Brody (‘The Pianist’), who also co-wrote the screenplay with Solet, created the music for the movie, and served as producer.
The film centers on Clean (Brody), a recovering alcoholic and former criminal who is now living a simple life as a garbageman after the death of his daughter. He soon befriends a young girl named Dianda (Chandler DuPont) and after helping her out of a dangerous situation, gets put in the crosshairs of local mobster, Michael (Glenn Fleshler). With Michael out for revenge, Clean has no choice but to protect himself and fight back.
Moviefone recently had the opportunity to speak with Oscar-winner Adrien Brody about his new movie, ‘Clean.’ You can read the full interview below or watch it in the video player above.
Moviefone: To begin with, you are not only acting in ‘Clean’, but you are also a producer, you co-wrote the screenplay, and created the music for the movie.
What was it about this particular story that made you so passionate about this project and what was it like having the opportunity to express yourself artistically in ways that you hadn’t before?
Adrien Brody: I mean, that was part of the impetus to make it. I had been looking to find a role somewhat within this vein for forever. I love films where the hero of the film is so deeply flawed and tragic, and in spite of all of those factors, that some of them are even unlikable qualities, you root for him. That he or she is able to surmount that and do a heroic act.
I think those are the real heroes in life anyway, and sometimes characters are depicted in too clean of a heroic manner and they need a bit of grit, and they need a bit of frailty within them to overcome that. It’s a genre of films that I’ve always loved, and I wanted to bring some nuance to the character within that genre.
It’s something that I know I can do well, to play the physicality that often hasn’t been afforded to me. I just wanted to tell a story that also felt that it honored and spoke to a lot of what I am troubled with in this great nation and a lot of the frustration and anger that I feel within that ‘Clean’ represents.
Adrien Brody in ‘Clean’
I think it’s a collective feeling that we all have of a sense of powerlessness against oppressive forces. The ability of pharmaceutical giants to create mass addiction that then they’ll reign in. Then all these people turn to street drugs because they can’t afford to get their fix that they’ve been fed.
There’s this undercurrent of so much hardship that people and young people, especially in impoverished areas must escape from in order to have a life ahead. So, I wanted that in the scope of an entertaining film, not to shy away from them, if that makes sense.
Then the music. The music is another part of that. That is also deeply influenced by my life growing up in Queens, New York, through the birth of hip hop and through everything that feels right for the tone. It felt like a character within the movie. So, that was an afterthought, I didn’t set out to take on even more responsibility. It just felt like it was my responsibility to share that and to help bring more emotional complexity to the overall picture.
MF: Finally, can you talk about collaborating with director Paul Solet both on the screenplay and as well during production?
AB: Paul’s wonderful. We had worked in the past on ‘Bullet Head.’ I pitched Paul the idea of doing this together and really asking his help. Because I didn’t really have the confidence to write a screenplay on my own. I trusted his sensibilities and he brought so many interesting qualities to this that were truthful to him as well. It was a very interesting process and I greatly appreciate all that he’s brought to this.
(L to R) Director Paul Solet and Adrien Brody on the set of ‘Clean’
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They will appear opposite Ana de Armas in the lead role as the iconic actress.
The cast also includes Caspar Phillipson, Toby Huss, Sara Paxton and David Warshofsky.
The project comes from writer/director Andrew Dominik (“The Assassination of Jesse James”).
“Blonde” is based on the novel of the same name by Joyce Carol Oates. It is a fictional reimagining of the private story of the world’s most famous sex symbol during the ’50s and ’60s, told the modern lens of celebrity culture.
