The second chapter in a proposed lesbian B-movie trilogy dreamed up by director/writer Ethan Coen and his wife, writer/editor Tricia Cooke, ‘Honey Don’t!’ follows up the pair’s first installment, 2024’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls.’ But while that was a caper/buddy road comedy that benefited (as far as it went) from the affection between Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, ‘Honey Don’t!’ is a takeoff on the noir genre that is saved only by another great performance from Qualley and the handful of spicy sex scenes she shares with Aubrey Plaza.
The rest of ‘Honey Don’t!’ — named after a Carl Perkins song — is even more insubstantial that ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ ended up being, with a formless script that plays like a rough draft and an overabundance of plot strands and characters that drift in and out of the picture without anything meaningful to tie them together. It’s barely a movie, making us wish that Ethan and his brother Joel would reunite.
Story and direction: two things that ‘Honey Don’t!’ is badly in need of. Qualley plays Honey O’Donahue, a tough, queer private detective who lives and works in the arid town of Bakersfield, California, where she stays close to her sister (Kristen Connolly) – who is on the edge of poverty with her six kids – and does her best to protect and help her.
Although local cop Marty (Charlie Day) – who refuses to accept that the glamorous Honey is a lesbian – insists that the car accident death of a potential client is an open-and-shut case, Honey has her suspicions. Those lead her to a local church called the Four-Way Temple and its pastor, the sleazy Drew Devlin (Chris Evans), who is smuggling drugs when not luring vulnerable young women into his bed and fetish gear. The investigation turns personal when Honey’s own family is dragged in, dredging up ghosts from her past even as she begins a torrid affair with an evidence room officer, MG Falcone (Aubrey Plaza).
As with many noirs, neo or otherwise, the story is often fragmentary. But there’s nothing else beyond Qualley’s central performance to keep our interest. Most of the other cast members – except perhaps for Plaza and Day – make little to no impression, many of the jokes don’t land, and scenes meander about with little tension or vitality. The movie feels like Coen and Cooke slapped it together on the fly, and the drab, parched setting saps whatever energy the story may possess.
There’s something in here about female empowerment and the need to stop submitting to patriarchal figures, but it’s handled so limply that any thematic concerns have no weight. And the story’s dénouement is so abrupt and baffling that one is left wondering what the hell happened. One major subplot ends up going absolutely nowhere at all – an indication of just how slipshod and lazy the entire film seems.
Margaret Qualley is the sole reason to stick around in ‘Honey Don’t!’ Her Honey is tough, frank, and fun even if the rest of the movie around her is dismal, and she shines in Honey’s procession of brightly-colored flowered dresses. Her line readings are deliberately staccato and flat in the noir tradition, and there’s just enough revealed about her to be frustrating, because Honey is a terrific character looking for a better movie.
Aubrey Plaza and Qualley truly sizzle in their sex scenes, but Plaza’s Falcone is too much of a cypher and is let down by the script toward the end. Chris Evans is simply miscast: the former (and future?) Captain America is too arch here and much better served by movies like ‘Materialists.’ Charlie Day earns some chuckles as the lunkheaded but sweet-natured Marty, and Gabby Beans deserves more to do as Honey’s assistant Spider, but everyone else fades into the blazing Bakersfield sun.
There is the hint of a far more interesting movie here, and making the classic noir detective figure into a lesbian could add a fresh new spin to the genre. But ‘Honey Don’t!’ just does not work.
Like ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ this has the quirks, violence, and casual comedy of a Coen brothers movie, but even less of whatever magical focus the combination of Joel and Ethan brings to their best films. This feels more like self-indulgence, cheapening even what’s supposed to be a B-movie.
‘Honey Don’t!’ receives a score of 30 out of 100.
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What is the plot of ‘Honey Don’t!’?
In Bakersfield, California, female private detective Honey O’Donahue (Margaret Qualley) investigates a woman’s death and tangles with the head of a mysterious church.
Aubrey Plaza is aboard biodrama ‘The Heidi Fleiss Story’.
She’ll play infamous “Hollywood Madam” Fleiss.
Leah Rachel is in the director’s chair.
While we’re used to seeing Aubrey Plaza deploy her deadpan style in out-and-out comedies, she’s long since proved she can handle blending both laugh-grabbing work and dramatic roles, sometimes in the same project.
She’s also been taking more control over her career, producing projects via her Evil Hag Productions company. The latest gig the ‘My Old Ass’ actor will star in and produce is an interesting one: Plaza, per Variety, will tackle controversial real-life figure Heidi Fleiss in a new movie.
Heidi Fleiss in ‘Heidi Fleiss: Hollywood Madam’. Photo: InPictures.
Fleiss was busted in the early 1990s for what was said to be the world’s largest high-end prostitution ring one that implicated Hollywood, politicians and other power figures.
Rachel, Sennott and Jackson’s take on the story reportedly follows Fleiss before trial, scrambling around Los Angeles trying to blackmail and leverage various connections to get the case dropped, with the help of an aspiring young writer named Jaclyn.
The cameras should be rolling on this one in Los Angeles in the next few months, with Jessamine Burgum and Kara Durrett’s Pinky Promise production company providing the backing.
Given that this is very much an indie production, there’s no word yet on where it might land –– though given that several of the behind-the-scenes creative team have worked with Netflix in the past, we figure the streaming service might well be interested.
Yet unless a deal has already been struck (or is in progress), expect this one to hit festivals looking for distribution.
Aubrey Plaza in ‘Emily the Criminal.’ Photo: Roadside Attractions.
Selected Movies and TV Shows Featuring Aubrey Plaza:
Baena was the writer and director of movies including ‘Life After Beth.’
He was married to actor and frequent collaborator Aubrey Plaza.
Jeff Baena, a respected writer and director whose work includes movies such as ‘Joshy,’ ‘Life After Beth’ and ‘Spin Me Round,’ was found dead at home in Los Angeles on Friday. He was 47.
Baena, who had been in a long relationship with ‘Parks & Recreation’ and ‘My Old Ass’ actor Aubrey Plaza –– the pair married in secret in 2021 –– was discovered by an assistant and declared dead at the scene.
After graduating from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts with a degree in film, Baena headed to Los Angeles, getting his start in somewhat traditional fashion by working as a production assistant on films, particularly for Robert Zemeckis, for whom he served on the crews of ‘What Lies Beneath’ and ‘Cast Away.’
His next job was as an assistant editor for filmmaker David O. Russell, and an unusual coincidence –– actually an accident –– helped to spur the next stage of Baena’s career. While driving to Russell’s house as part of his duties one day, his car was struck by another. The result was an eye injury that forced him to stop working for several weeks.
Offering to help care for him, Russell, began discussing ideas for scripts, and the two would start to collaborate on work.
This is what Baena told Fast Company about that time:
“He was super-generous, creatively. He allowed me to advocate for any ideas that were in conflict with his ideas. We were on the same wavelength, had the same style and interests. He was really a soul mate, as a co–writer.”
Jeff Baena: Writing work
(L to R) Jude Law, Naomi Watts, Dustin Hoffman and Lily Tomlin in ‘I Heart Huckabees’. Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Following that, be began to score uncredited work revising other scripts, including a contribution to 2004 comedy sequel ‘Meet the Fockers.’
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But it was in writing and directing that Baena’s heart truly lay.
He made a brief stop in the world of acting before he became a director, playing a character named after himself in Mark Webber’s 2012 drama ‘The End of Love.’
He would also have a small role in Joe Swanberg’s 2015 film ‘Digging for Fire,’ cementing his roots within the growing indie movement that also included the Duplass brothers.
Jeff Baena: Director
Anna Kendrick in ‘Life After Beth’. Photo: A24.
The filmmaker made his directorial debut with 2014 horror comedy ‘Life After Beth,’ in which Dane DeHaan’s character discovers that his deceased girlfriend –– played by Aubrey Plaza –– has come back to life as a zombie.
He followed that up with 2016’s ‘Joshy,’ starring Thomas Middleditch as a man who loses his fiancée and whose friends try to cheer him up by taking him to a cabin. It premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize.
Next came one of the films for which Baena is best remembered; 2017’s ‘The Little Hours,’ in which Dave Franco plays a young servant fleeing from his master takes refuge at a convent full of emotionally unstable nuns –– which includes Plaza among their number. That film was nominated for the Audience Award at the 2017 Edinburgh International Film Festival.
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Baena co-wrote, directed, and produced ‘Horse Girl’ which premiered at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival and was released on Netflix shortly after. And his most recent film was ‘Spin Me Round,’ featuring Alison Brie as a woman wins an all-expenses-paid trip to a company’s institute outside of Florence, and also the chance to meet the restaurant chain’s wealthy and charismatic owner.
On television, Baena created, wrote, directed and executive produced the Showtime series, ‘Cinema Toast,’ which sees indie filmmakers re-editing and re-scoring footage from public domain films, overdubbing them with performances of contemporary actors to tell new, wholly original stories.
The series included Plaza’s chance to make her directorial debut.
Jeff Baena: Aubrey Plaza Talks Their Relationship
(L to R) Aubrey Plaza as Kat and Alison Brie as Amber in ‘Spin Me Round.’
Plaza and Baena had been together since 2011 but preferred to keep their connection private until they married in May 2021, the news only breaking because she referred to him as “my darling husband” on Instagram.
“It’s so great, it’s so complicated. It’s, like, extreme highs and extreme, you know, complications. It’s a really hard thing to navigate, but we’ve been together for 11 years. We just muscle our way through it.”
And this was what she told People about how the pandemic strengthened their bond:
“We were quarantined for months and months like everybody else. We did enjoy it. I think it was, obviously other than all of the catastrophic things happening in the world, just on a personal level, relationship level, was kind of nice to just be forced to be in one place for that long.”
In addition to Plaza, Baena is survived by his mother, Barbara Stern and stepfather Roger Stern, father Scott Baena and stepmother Michele Baena, brother Brad Baena and stepsister and stepbrother Bianca Gabay and Jed Fluxman.
(L to R) Zach Woods as Dana, Debby Ryan as Susie, Alison Brie as Amber, and Ayden Mayeri as Jen in ‘Spin Me Round.’
(L to R) Writer/Director Francis Ford Coppola and Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina on the set of ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Phil Caruso.
‘Megalopolis’ is the first film from Oscar-winning director Francis Ford Coppola in thirteen years and a project he has been developing since 1977. The result is an exhilarating and complex motion picture that pushes the boundaries of cinema while exploring class and the fragility of societies.
Anchored by a fantastic ensemble of actors including Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Laurence Fishburne and Aubrey Plaza, Coppola experiments with story, visual effects and even live-theatrical components. However, this movie is not for everyone, and will have its fair share of critics due to its experimental nature and a somewhat confusing script. But if you ignore that, and just go for the wild cinematic ride Coppola has created, you will be in awe of the director’s latest masterpiece.
Story and Direction
Writer/Director Francis Ford Coppola on the set of ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Phil Laruso.
Combining the Catilinarian conspiracy with modern day New York, ‘Megalopolis’ is set in a decaying metropolis called New Rome. An Idealistic architect named Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver), who has the power to control space and time, seeks to demolish and rebuild the city into a sustainable utopia using a new material called “megalon”. Standing in his way is Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), the Mayor of New Rome who is committed to a regressive status quo.
Things get complicated for Cesar when he falls in love with Julia Cicero (Nathalie Emmanuel), the mayor’s daughter. Also, lurking in the shadows is Cesar’s cousin, Clodio (Shia LaBeouf), who along with his uncle Hamilton Crassus III (Jon Voight) and his new wife former TV journalist Wow Platinum (Aubrey Plaza), is plotting to destroy Cesar before he can build his new utopia.
Aubrey Plaza as Wow Platinum in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Dense and complex, Coppola’s screenplay explores class warfare and how easily societies can fail. Mixing Roman mythology with what at times feels like a Shakespearian script, (Driver even recites the “To be, or not to be” speech from ‘Hamlet’ at one point), the story at times can seem convoluted but if that bothers you, then I think you are missing the point of Coppola’s film. And knowing how much of the script and story was found on the set by the actors through improvisation, to focus on the screenplay’s shortcomings is again, to miss the point of the movie entirely.
Arguably one of the greatest filmmakers in the history of cinema after making ‘The Godfather’, ‘The Godfather II’, and ‘Apocalypse Now’, just to name a few, the true joy of ‘’Megalopolis’ is watching the master filmmaker experiment with the medium and create something unexpected and quite beautiful in its own way. Not only is Coppola experimenting with the themes of the movie, but he is also experimenting with filmmaking technologies he hasn’t used before like digital cameras, digital effects, and a fascinating live-theatrical stunt, unlike anything I’ve seen before in a movie theater, but more on that below.
Live Theatrical Experience
Grace Vanderwaal as Vesta Sweetwater in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
Towards the end of the second act, there is a moment when Driver’s Cesar is participating in a press conference. At that exact moment, the lights in the theater go on, and a person from the audience (obviously a plant) walks up to a microphone close to the screen. Then, in character, the “actor” asks the on-screen Cesar a question as if they are the reporter in the scene themselves. At least in my screening, the timing worked perfectly, and Cesar seemingly answered the member of the audience.
It’s obviously a constructed stunt, but I absolutely loved that Coppola decided to experiment in this way and it’s the moment when (faults and all) I really fell for this film. It’s a bold move, and one that I wish more filmmakers would take the risk to do. I’m not saying every movie should have a live component, but I would love to see more filmmakers play with the medium and experiment with techniques that are outside of the norm.
A Misunderstood Masterpiece?
Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero and Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
With the media seemingly wanting to see Coppola fail after rumors of production troubles, not to mention the experimental nature of the movie, reviews out of the film’s Cannes premiere have been mixed at best. But don’t listen to them, and don’t even listen to me, see the movie for yourself and make up your own mind! However, I would suggest seeing the film in IMAX, as it adds to Coppola’s vision and the overall experience of the movie.
While it’s unfair to compare ‘’Megalopolis’ to Coppola’s past work, it is important to remember (as the fake quotes in the film’s first trailer point out), films like ‘Apocalypse Now’, ‘Bram Stoker’s Dracula’ and yes, even ‘The Godfather’, received some mixed reviews upon release and of course have gone on to be considered cinematic classics. That may or may not eventually happen with ‘’Megalopolis’, but it is certainly a bold and intriguing movie, which is in stark contrast to the standard sequels and superhero films that litter our local cinema.
The Cast
Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
While the true star of ‘’Megalopolis’ in my opinion is Francis Ford Coppola, he has assembled a remarkable cast of actors, young and old, and the film is certainly anchored by Adam Driver’s strong performance. Driver embodies the character with an intelligence and an aloofness that only the former Kylo Ren actor could supply.
Veteran actor Giancarlo Esposito has finally become a household name thanks to his vast television work on hit shows like ‘Breaking Bad’, ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘The Boys’. This is Esposito’s first major role in a movie since his recent success, and while he once again plays the antagonist, the actor gives a very good performance.
Shia LaBeouf as Clodio Pulcher in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
While purposely over-the-top at times, Shia LaBeouf gives a commanding performance as the sinister Clodio, and Oscar-winner Jon Voight is at his best in years as Hamilton Crassus III. Also excellent in her role is Aubrey Plaza, perfectly cast as a Barbara Walters meets Megyn Kelly type journalist more concerned with moving up society’s later than reporting the truth. Other strong supporting performances come from Laurence Fishburne (the film’s narrator) and Grace VanderWaal as a Taylor Swift type entertainer.
However, coming off an excellent performance in director John Woo’s remake of ‘The Killer’ is Nathalie Emmanuel, who is adequate as Julia, but has a hard time overcoming the shadows of the other heavyweights in the cast. Talia Shire (Coppola’s sister), Jason Schwartzman (Shire’s son and Coppola’s nephew), ‘Saturday Night Live’s Chloe Fineman and Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman are all welcomed additions to the cast, but unfortunately are not given enough to do.
Final Thoughts
Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
In the end, you may like ‘Megalopolis’ or you may not, but it is worth seeing in a theater, if for nothing else to experience a once in a lifetime theatrical experience from one of the greatest directors of all time.
‘Megalopolis’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘’Megalopolis’?
In a decaying metropolis called New Rome, Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) is an idealist architect who is granted a license by the federal government to demolish and rebuild the city as a sustainable utopia using a new material, “megalon”, which can give him the power to control space and time. His nemesis, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), remains committed to a regressive status quo. Torn between them is Franklyn’s socialite daughter and Cesar’s love interest Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), who, tired of the influence she inherited, searches for her life’s meaning.
Moviefone recently had the honor of speaking with legendary writer and director Francis Ford Coppola and Adam Driver about their work on ‘Megalopolis’, Coppola’s passion and dedication to get it made, the live theatrical aspect of the film, how he utilized new technology, Driver’s approach to his character, improvisation, and what he learned from working with Coppola.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Writer/Director Francis Ford Coppola on the set of ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Phil Laruso.
Moviefone: To begin with, Mr. Coppola, can you talk about the spark of the idea for this film that excited you and what kept you passionate and determined over all these decades to finally get this movie made?
Francis Ford Coppola: When I started, I didn’t specifically start with this project. I just thought that since I had made so many films with different styles, I was curious what my style was. So, I just started to note down articles I read, or I had a collection I remember of political cartoons because cartoons tell a whole story in one image, and things I had read. After a while, I found that I was interested in the idea of doing a Roman epic because I had seen them as a kid, and I loved Roman epics. Then at one point, I read a particular Roman story about what was called the Catiline conspiracy. In that, it said that could happen in modern America because modern America has based itself on being Roman. That’s when it began to really take shape in this. Then I started to collect possibilities of what it might be like and how it might be done, and ultimately led to this incredible collaboration with my wonderful cast and with Adam and with the various people who supplied everything in the film, and we made ‘Megalopolis’ together.
(L to R) Writer/Director Francis Ford Coppola and Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina on the set of ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Phil Caruso.
MF: Adam, what was this experience like for you working with Mr. Coppola, and what did you learn about filmmaking from watching the specific way that he makes movies?
Adam Driver: I think there’s maybe a misconception or an assumption that people make about directors that are like Francis that the atmosphere when you get on set is going to be very dictatorial, that it’s going to be “Do what I tell you to do”, or at least that’s just what the feedback that I get from people is, “Do you just say everything that he tells you to do?” That’s not actually what it’s like at all. He’s very disarming, which I guess should be no surprise because his movies feel that way. They all feel like everyone is pretty invested in what they’re doing because he gives you an incredible amount of trust, which it could easily have been the opposite of, “Move here because I said so, and I have a resume of films that have changed filmmaking as evidence that I know what I’m talking about”. That would’ve been a very compelling argument, but it’s the exact opposite. He makes you part of it because you have some authorship of it, you get obsessed with it and excited, and are invested and want to bring ideas to the table. Because he has such a, this is the understatement of the century, but an incredible film vocabulary that he is very good at picking the things that are in line with what he’s trying to make in an incredibly diplomatic way and discarding the things that aren’t what he needs. So, the thing I took from it is also, it felt like experimental theater in a way, where you can’t make a mistake, and setting an environment for people to feel comfortable to do whatever they wanted within the parameters. It is an experience that I didn’t have in film before, and I don’t think I’ll have again. Trying to take that to other films will be difficult.
Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Mr. Coppola, there is a staged moment in the film where someone from the theater’s audience stands up and interacts with Adam’s character on-screen. Can you talk about the choice to include this unusual experimental theatrical experience and how you were able to execute it?
FFC: Well, it’s interesting because the film didn’t have that scene at all in it, and it was Adam who said to me, “Remember we shot a sequence where the people asked questions. I miss that. I wish that were back in.” I said, “Well, let’s go find it and put it back in and see what you think,” and we did. Then we put it in, and I agreed with him that it was missing, and it was better with it. It wasn’t in it. It was his idea and we put it in, and then the only thing that happened is I thought, “Well, wouldn’t it be interesting if a real person brought the microphone over and put it there?” We tried it and it seemed to be exciting. I’m a guy who in a way still has one foot in theater and one foot in cinema and I haven’t forgotten my theatrical training as a kid. I love to combine the two, and that’s where that came from. We only had it because of this idea about actors and directors, I’ve heard it said, “Oh, that director got this great performance out of the actor.” Directors don’t get great performances out of actors. The actor does the performance. The director’s like a coach. He’s there to be able to say something helpful, hopefully at the right time, when the actor is trying to achieve something, just like a coach in a sports team says, “Why don’t you try thinking this?” If it helps, great. But the actor does the hard part, let’s face it. The director is there to just say the right thing at the right moment if you are lucky enough to have the right thing to say.
(L to R) Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo: Lionsgate.
MF: Adam, I understand there was quite a bit of improvisation on the set. Can you talk about your approach to playing Cesar, and did the improv help you find the character on set?
AD: There’s the version and what we had talked about. Francis told me some inspirations, not directly, but like Walter Gropius was somebody that we talked about. Robert Moses was another person, just to kind of get a sense. But what Francis was saying, he’s being a little modest. I think sometimes people say that idea, which sounds romantic, and in practice, never practice it, or they reserve it for press. But Francis really acts on his principles and everything that he’s describing is very rare, I think, to get that experience as an actor and to get the freedom to kind of come up with an idea and surprise yourself, and hopefully Francis. But he still is the one that’s making that happen, so you wouldn’t get that movie obviously, if Francis wasn’t kind of conducting all these kinds of wild personalities. So, it all kind of was found by the other actors that I’m acting with, the props, how (Cinematographer) Mihai (Mălaimare Jr.) was shooting it with Francis and all Francis’ direction. He kind of set up the rules. The first day of shooting was something really and I remember at one point, Francis said, “We’re not being brave enough,” and that was like, “Oh, that’s probably the best piece of direction I’ve ever been given,” and that set the tone for the rest of the film.
Nathalie Emmanuel as Julia Cicero and Adam Driver as Cesar Catilina in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo Credit: Courtesy of Lionsgate.
MF: Finally, Mr. Coppola, obviously the tools used to make films has changed a lot since you began making movies with advances in digital cameras, visual effects, and editing software. Can you talk about how you were able to implement those new tools into your style of filmmaking?
FFC: Well, I think Orson Wells once said that a lot of those aspects of movies, you can learn in a weekend. But fundamentally, the two main components of cinema are acting and writing. That’s not something you can learn over the weekend. I mean, you can’t have a great movie without wonderful acting. You need some kind of good writing. Everything else is you can take great liberties with and choose to use or not to use. Just because there’s some new development that is possibly revolutionary doesn’t mean you have to use it or must use it in the way they’re using it. We did use a technique that falls in that category, what’s known as the volume. It’s when they have this huge space and it’s a huge LED screen. But we used it a different way. We put the scene that we shot very high, and so if they’re walking along up there and fall, they’re going to fall 15 feet into a net, and so that the actors would be a little trepidatious about walking around too casually up there. He (Adam) wasn’t afraid of it, but Natalie (Emmanuel) was. When she walked, you could feel she didn’t want to fall. So, I mean, as I said, you can use things, but you don’t have to use them in the way that they were invented for.
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What is the plot of ‘’Megalopolis’?
In a decaying metropolis called New Rome, Cesar Catilina (Adam Driver) is an idealist architect who is granted a license by the federal government to demolish and rebuild the city as a sustainable utopia using a new material, “megalon”, which can give him the power to control space and time. His nemesis, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), remains committed to a regressive status quo. Torn between them is Franklyn’s socialite daughter and Cesar’s love interest Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), who, tired of the influence she inherited, searches for her life’s meaning.
Launching on Disney+ on Wednesday, September 18th with its first two episodes, ‘Agatha All Along’ looks to bring Marvel’s TV output back to a better level of success after some recent stumbles.
On the evidence of the first two episodes –– four were provided to the press, but we’ll refrain from going too deeply into the others since they’re further out from release –– the first spin-off from ‘WandaVision’ will be an intriguing, magical and sometimes musical ride anchored by an ever-fantastic Kathryn Hahn.
Hahn’s character, was, of course, the breakout star of ‘WandaVision’, a quirky best friend character later revealed –– spoiler alert in case you somehow skipped the show –– as a cackling witchy villain who had plans for Wanda Maximoff’s (Elizabeth Olsen) abilities. But her scheme backfired, and a resurgent, grief-powered Wanda left Agatha powerless and trapped in the fake town of Westview that the Scarlet Witch had created.
‘Agatha All Along’ (named for the song that so memorably –– and catchily –– framed everything the character had been up to) picks up the story by initially seeming to be channeling ‘WandaVision’s trick of riffing on old TV shows, as we’re re-introduced to Agatha, stuck as Agnes, now a weary detective investigating a murder. But all is still not what it seems, and soon she has shrugged off the major effects of the spell and sets out to reclaim her power.
Standing in her way? A rival from the past (played by Aubrey Plaza, who proves to be an excellent foil for Hahn) and a need to gather a new coven of witches in order to go on a quest for, if not redemption, then rejuvenation.
But far from copying ‘WandaVision’s template, ‘Agatha’ has its own compelling spell to cast.
Looking to take its TV development in a slightly new direction by having showrunners oversee more of the show than someone writing a script that a director runs with –– the difference between how TV has been run in the past and how Marvel made its movies –– this new effort is already bearing fruit. Jac Schaeffer, who created ‘WandaVision,’ is the primary guiding influence here, and she’s a sure hand as both a writer and one of the series’ directors.
She knows how to write for Hahn in particular and has created some other compelling characters that play well off of her.
And Schaeffer, alongside Gandja Monteiro and Rachel Goldberg bring a sometimes fizzy, sometimes dark look to the show, using effects sparingly and focusing on the characters. One or two shots aren’t perhaps up to the quality of everything else, but those are minor quibbles.
Performances
In other hands, this could simply have turned into “The Kathryn Hahn Show”, but though she remains excellent as the title character, there are other performances that work.
One of Hahn’s best roles, Agatha fits her like a glove, and the new show gives her full rein to explore new sides of the character. There are songs (though the series is not yet as musical as you might imagine given the presence of ‘Agatha All Along’ songwriters and Oscar winners Bobby and Kristen Anderson-Lopez behind the scenes) and real ideas surrounding the comedy.
Hahn is so watchable in the role, you can enjoy her doing anything, and here she has the chance to truly shine after stealing scenes before.
The ‘Heartstopper’ actor brings lots of charm to his mysterious role –– we don’t, for example, even know his name yet –– and he plays well amongst the more experienced members of the ensemble.
One of the witches that Agatha recruits, Broadway legend LuPone brings all of her performing power to bear on the quirky role of divination witch Lilia. She’s funny when she needs to be, and it’s a pleasure to see her in this particular ensemble.
Clearly an old enemy (but perhaps something more) for Agatha, Rio is introduced threatening her, but takes on a more interesting aspect that we won’t explore for now. All you really need to know is this gives Plaza the chance to be snarky, scheming and genuinely hilarious in places.
Other witches include healer/potions witch Jennifer Kale, played by Sasheer Zamata and the haunted Alice Wu-Gulliver (Ali Ahn), both of whom add comic sparkle and some sorrow to their roles. There isn’t a weak link in the bunch, up to and including the return of “Mrs. Hart” (Debra Jo Rupp), who is at pains to point out her real name when the need arises. Rupp really adapts to fill her expanded role, and she’s a delight.
Some fans of the MCU might churlishly want to think that ‘Agatha All Along’ isn’t connected to the wider cinematic universe enough to warrant the full Marvel treatment, but that’s a feature rather than a bug. And keep your ears peeled even in the early going for some comic book easter eggs that may well pay off down the line.
It has scary moments, a healthy well of emotions and plenty of laughs too. Agatha’s mission to gather her new coven for a mission –– call it “Potion’s Eleven” –– is an entertaining story with some hefty themes of how women have been treated through the centuries stirred into its bubbling cauldron, making for satisfying brew.
‘Agatha All Along’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Agatha All Along’?
The infamous Agatha Harkness (Kathryn Hahn) finds herself down and out of power after a suspicious goth Teen (Joe Locke) helps break her free from a distorted spell.
Her interest is piqued when he begs her to take him on the legendary Witches’ Road, a magical gauntlet of trials that, if survived, rewards a witch with what they’re missing. Together, Agatha and this mysterious Teen pull together a desperate coven, and set off down, down, down The Road…
Who is in the cast of ‘Agatha All Along’?
Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness
Joe Locke as Teen
Sasheer Zamata as Jennifer Kale
Miles Gutierrez-Riley as Teen’s boyfriend
Debra Jo Rupp as Sharon Davis
Patti LuPone as Lilia Calderu
Aubrey Plaza as Rio Vidal
‘Agatha All Along’ premieres Wednesday, September 18th on Disney+.
Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Megalopolis’ is scheduled for release on September 27, 2024.
Preview:
Francis Ford Coppola has made a deal with Lionsgate to release ‘Megalopolis’.
The filmmaker’s passion project stars Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito and Nathalie Emmanuel.
Coppola poured millions of his own money into making the movie.
Given how much time and money Francis Ford Coppola had poured into making his latest passion project, the epic known as ‘Megalopolis’, things were looking a little grim.
Coppola, the man behind movies such as ‘The Godfather’ trilogy and ‘Apocalypse Now’ had been looking to bring ‘Megalopolis’ to life for years but hadn’t found anyone to invest fully.
So the filmmaker went ahead and sold a chunk of his vineyard business to drum up the cash himself, tracking down a cast and getting under way.
Then came reports of trouble on set, with effects issues and even accusations of inappropriate behavior by the director (an issue which has yet to be settled either way).
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Finally, Coppola finished the film and screened it for potential distributors in Los Angeles, to reportedly zero interest. He scored a slot at Cannes and that has sparked wildly divisive reviews, many calling out its gonzo storytelling and performances.
Yet after the festival screening, there has been a big turnaround in the movie’s fortunes, Coppola securing a raft of international distribution deals across the world.
And today brings word that Lionsgate has scored a deal to distribute the movie here in the States, and to handle its home entertainment release.
What’s the story of ‘Megalopolis’?
(L to R) Adam Driver and Nathalie Emmanuel in ‘Megalopolis’. Photo: Lionsgate.
The fate of Rome haunts a modern world (and a city that’s essentially an alternate New York) unable to solve its own social problems in this epic story of political ambition, genius, and conflicting interests.
‘Megalopolis’ essential clash is between Cesar (Adam Driver), a genius artist who seeks to leap into a utopian, idealistic future, and his opposition, Mayor Franklyn Cicero (Giancarlo Esposito), who remains committed to a regressive status quo, perpetuating greed, special interests, and partisan warfare.
Caught between the two? Franklyn’s socialite daughter and Cesar’s love interest, Julia (Nathalie Emmanuel), who, tired of the influence she inherited, searches for her life’s meaning.
Who else is in ‘Megalopolis’?
Jon Voight as Byrne in ‘The Painter.’ Photo: Republic Pictures.
Director Frances Ford Coppola at the 50th Anniversary of ‘The Godfather’ event and historic street naming ceremony the Paramount Theater in Hollywood, CA on February 22nd, 2022. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures.
Here’s the statement the director released about the new deal:
“One rule of business I’ve always followed and prioritized (to my benefit) is to continue working with companies and teams who over time have proven to be good friends as well as great collaborators. This is why I am thrilled to have Adam Fogelson and Lionsgate Studios release ‘Megalopolis’. I am confident they will apply the same tender love and care given to ‘Apocalypse Now’, which is currently in its 45th year of astounding revenue and appreciation.”
And here’s Lionsgate boss Adam Fogelson’s comment:
“Francis is a legend. For many of us, his gifts to cinema were one of the inspirations to devote our own careers to film. It is a true privilege to work with him, and to bring this incredible, audacious, and utterly unique movie to theatrical audiences. At Lionsgate, we strive to be a home for bold and daring artists, and ‘Megalopolis’ proves there is no one more bold or daring than the maestro, Francis Ford Coppola.”
When will ‘Megalopolis’ be in a theater near me?
Lionsgate has set a September 27th release date for the movie.
Al Pacino, Francis Ford Coppola and Robert De Niro onstage during the 50th anniversary tribute of “The Godfather” at the live ABC telecast of the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
Premiering on Netflix November 17th, anime series ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ is the latest adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s cult graphic novel series, published between August 2004 and July 2010 by Oni Press.
It was first brought to big screens by director Edgar Wright, whose ‘Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World’ was released in 2010. It didn’t do well at the box office, but became a cult favorite, and is still seen as a successful translation of the source material to screens.
Which means that ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ has even more to prove, following both the original books and the movie. Yet, as it turns out, this animated TV version is more than up to the challenge.
Does Scott Pilgrim successfully cross over into anime?
If you’re a fan of the ‘Scott Pilgrim’ graphic novels, you’ll probably have been anticipating this one, not least because it boasts the movie’s cast on voice duties.
It is a relief, then, to report that ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ is a roaring success, which is both faithful to the original story but finds fascinating new paths to take –– about which we wish we could say more, but to do so would spoil the fun.
Suffice to say, the initial episode of the show follows almost entirely faithfully along the story of the first book, introducing us once more to Scott’s frosty Toronto existence. He’s a nervy slacker who plays in a bad rock band and is (sort of) dating a highschooler.
And yet Scott is also, apparently, one of the best fighters in the area, since the ‘Pilgrim’ world is one where spontaneous, video game-style battles break out when people are fighting for reasons including winning over someone they have a crush on.
That’s Scott’s challenge when he meets the beautiful, mysterious Ramona Flowers, an American transplant still smarting from a bad breakup with some serious baggage. He becomes somewhat obsessed with her, partly because she rollerblades through his dreams (turns out his subconscious mind is a hyperspace portal that knocks miles off Ramona’s route as a DVD delivery worker… yes, you really do need to key into the story’s specific oddness).
So, when one of Ramona’s ex-boyfriends show up to challenge him to a fight, Scott is only to ready to leap into action.
It’s there that O’Malley and TV co-writer BenDavid Grabinski (‘Happily’) really get to show off the imaginative drive of the show, as they find truly interesting new ways to tell the story.
The writers, who clearly knew that another completely faithful adaptation would be viewed as unnecessary, make some real leaps here, getting a lot of mileage out of experimenting with the basic story engine. It allows for characters who in the book and movie are mostly side players to get their moments to shine –– and truly expands upon the story.
This could well be considered a multiverse variant of ‘Scott Pilgrim’, one that enriches the experience without forgetting what makes it work. The characters feel authentic, and the emotions are still real, even with all the craziness going on around them.
And while Wright was able to pull off some impressive action in his movie version (employing some nifty effects and a creative stunt team), the anime nature of the show means it can go far further in its depiction of the different battles.
Director Abel Gongora brings audacious visual panache to the whole series, whether it is two characters fighting in a plane as it crashes, or paparazzi photographers portrayed as a pack of ninjas.
The anime style fits with the book’s illustration, then brings them to life in vivid and various ways. And the music, meanwhile, is a perfect blend of entirely new material and songs that cropped up in the film. This is the perfect mix of the source and its original adaptation.
‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’: Performances
The voice cast of ‘Scott Pilgrim’ Anime Series.
Gathering the movie’s cast back (albeit in isolated recording booths, since the actors have gone on to much bigger, busier careers in the years since release) proves to be another winning aspect of the new production.
Michael Cera, of course, is still great as a low-key Scott, while Kieran Culkin still steals scenes as his unwitting roommate Wallace Wells, who has even more snark to deliver here. Mary Elizabeth Winstead’s Ramona gets to be more than a love interest, while the likes of Satya Bhabha’s Matthew Patel and Johnny Simmons’ Young Neil are expanded far beyond their minor roles in the story.
In a year where the comic book genre has taken something of a beating, this off-beat blend of video games, romance, rock and comedy is the ideal antidote. It’ll please fans of both the book and movie and looks unlike anything out there on TV at the moment.
‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ ranks among the best of genre on small screens this year. As the o omnipresent video game announcer might declare, “Winner!”
‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.
Adapted by Bryan Lee O’Malley and BenDavid Grabinski, ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ follows the title character (voiced by Michael Cera) as he falls in love with New Yorker Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).
But in order to date her, he must defeat all seven of her evil exes. Then things get even more complicated.
Who else is in ‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’?
Thanks to the intervention of Edgar Wright, the entire movie cast is back alongside Michael Cera and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
The new series is a fresh, yet recognizable adaptation of O’Malley’s original books, which chronicle how slacker Scott (Cera) goes from dating the enthusiastic Knives Chau (Ellen Wong) to becoming obsessed with the cool courier Ramona Flowers (Winstead).
Trouble is, when Scott starts dating Ramona, he learns he’ll also have to battle her seven evil ex-boyfriends (and one ex-girlfriend) to unlock the power of love and truly win her heart. You know: that old boy-meets-girl-boy-fights-exes-learns-life-lessons story.
Set in “the magical land of Toronto”, the story also brings in garage bands (since Scott plays with a scruffy local outfit called ‘Sex Bob-Om’), crazy video game references and dueling musical acts. Part of Scott’s problem is that he also has an ex, Envy Adams (Larson), who has since gone on to become a huge rock star.
Evans will be Lucas Lee, one of the exes, while Routh plays Todd Ingram, Envy’s new boyfriend and bandmate. Plaza is aboard as Scott’s sweary nemesis Julie Powers, while Anna Kendrick is his sister, Stacey. Schwartzman, meanwhile, is calculating ultimate evil ex Gideon Graves.
Fellow Sex Bob-Om bandmates include Young Neil (Johnny Simmons), Stephen Stills (Mark Webber) and Kim Pine (Pill).
“One of the proudest and most enjoyable achievements of my career was assembling and working with the dynamite cast of ‘Scott Pilgrim’. Since the film’s release in 2010 we’ve done Q&A’s, remembrances and charity read throughs, but there was never the occasion to reunite the whole gang on an actual project. Until now… Original creator Bryan Lee O’Malley, along with writer BenDavid Grabinski have conjured up an anime series of ‘Scott Pilgrim’ that doesn’t just expand the universe, but also…well, just watch it. I’m more than happy to announce that I have helped coax the entire original cast back to voice their characters on this epic new adventure. You are in for a treat.”
As a movie, the story was fun, and stylish and from the looks of this first trailer, the series will be able to both replicate the style of O’Malley’s graphic novel work while also expanding on the craziness (dinosaurs!)
‘Scott Pilgrim Takes Off’ hits Netflix on November 17th.
‘Mercy’ tells the story of an ex-military doctor named Michelle (Leah Gibson), who finds herself in a deadly battle for survival when the Irish mafia family, the Quinns (Jon Voight and Jonathan Rhys Meyers), seize control of the hospital at which she works. When her son (Anthony Bolognese) is taken hostage, she is forced to rely upon her battle-hardened past and lethal skills after realizing there’s no one left to save the day but her.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Oscar-winner Jon Voight about his work on ‘Mercy,’ what he brings to a project, performing violent scenes, performing with an Irish accent, his character’s relationship with his sons, working with Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Leah Gibson, collaborating with director Tony Dean Smith, and his work on acclaimed filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s upcoming ‘Megalopolis.’
Jon Voight as Patrick Quinn in ‘Mercy.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, Patrick Quinn is a great character for you to play, did you recognize that when you first read the script and what were some of the aspects of the character you were excited to explore in this film?
Jon Voight: I think because I’ve gotten to a certain age, people are coming to me with roles that are suitable, and that I have to play a patriarch of this kind, even though he is a very negative kind of character or comes from that culture. But it was exciting to me in a certain sense, it seemed like a good opportunity to express many things. An opportunity to work with Jonathan Rhys Meyers, who I think is a sensational actor, and a great talent. Then we introduced this wonderful gal Leah Gibson too. So I was excited to work on this piece. I thought I could help it. When I came into it, I said, “Well, I think I can do something with this thing.”
MF: Can you expand on that idea? Are there certain projects that you are offered that you feel like your presence in the movie can help elevate the film?
JV: Well, I think I’m very collaborative with the directors and producers to do something that has a meaning for me. I thought that I could enrich the family dilemma and not make it so black and white in a certain sense. These people are human, you want to find out what their humanity is and see what their thinking is. So you are really getting to know these people, and when we get to know people, you root for them a little bit. You hope they can pull things off. Then you see somebody who’s going way off the road like Jonathan’s character, my son Sean, in the picture. Yet he’s very exciting because he’s so brilliant at this kind of negativity, this character. He can bring it forth, he can scare you, and that’s what he does in this film. He’s really a brilliant actor and this is a role very suitable for him. So we had things that we could do and then I was able to, I think, add something to it as well.
MF: I loved the Irish accent that your character has in the movie. Was that already in your actor’s bag of tricks or did you work with a vocal coach to get it right?
JV: No. We worked with people. They have people who work with accents, and the young woman that worked on it with us, I found to be excellent. She was able to work with all of the people in our group, which was a team of this family of criminals. She got us all up to a certain level. But we were working with Jonathan Rhys Myers, who’s from County Cork, and knows those accents. He can do any kind of accent, and we had to be authentic next to him, which was a big challenge. But he was always encouraging and helpful.
MF: You have a particularly violent scene where your character is threatening another member of his crew. Was it fun to shoot that sequence and act really menacing in that moment?
JV: Yeah, it was fun, actually. But I mean, I said, “We have to have this in the picture.” I said, “Because you have to know who he is. He has to be dangerous. You have to see why he’s the head of this group.” Do you see what I mean? And he establishes that in that one gesture. So then you say, “Oh, this guy, there’s a reason why he’s the head of this wild group.”
Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Sean Quinn in ‘Mercy.’
MF: Do you look for moments like that when you’re reading a script, a moment that really explains who the character is very clearly for the audience?
JV: Well, it’s in the storytelling of things, yes. It’s very important that people know who he is. That’s a seminal moment. That’s a step, “Boom, there he is, like that.” He can go like that. He can turn and, “Boom, he’s dangerous.” Of course, in order to run a mob, you have to be that dangerous. You have to have that kind of capacity to scare the hell out of everybody else. To say, “Well, you play games with me and it’s going to be a certain kind of violent ending.” That kind of thing. That was an important moment, actually. But the other thing is that each of the young men in it who played my team, the muscle in that piece, they did a great job. They worked hard on it, and they did their accents beautifully, but they really cared about it. They’re nice little pieces of that film that are given over to these cameos, and I really thought the cast came up to the challenge.
(L to R) Jon Voight as Patrick Quinn and Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Sean Quinn in ‘Mercy.’
MF: Patrick has two sons, Sean and Ryan, and he clearly favors Ryan over Sean. Can you talk about that family dynamic and how it is the catalyst for what happens at the hospital?
JV: Well, he has two sons in the picture, and he’s a fellow that came from Ireland as an alien to this country and found a home here at one point. He came from a violent background in Ireland, but he really was concerned about his older child, Sean. He was concerned about this child because he was going in the wrong way. That’s really something because he’s from a family that’s equated with some violence too. But he was going off the deep end, getting involved with terrorists, alcohol and all this stuff. So he came to this country, came to the States to actually change the direction of his son, and his other son, Ryan caught the idea and was on his way to a healthy life apart from the family and was encouraged by his father. But Sean went the other way and became a destructive factor. That’s what we see in the film, a man dealing with a son that’s dangerous to himself and to others. I think it’s an interesting dilemma. So you feel for the father that he’s lost his son to this, and that becomes a richer part of the film. I was excited to explore that dimension and to work with this great actor, Jonathan Rhys Myers, and of course Leah Gibson, who plays the American military hero of the picture, and is a considerable actor and a very new face.
MF: Did you know Jonathan Rhys Meyers before making this movie, and what was it like working with him on ‘Mercy?’
JV: I had made one film with Jonathan, and we both liked each other so much. We were so appreciative of each other’s talent. Steven Paul, the producer of this film, had worked on the other film and in order to get this film made, he called Jonathan and said, “Well, Jon Voight’s going to do it.” Then Jonathan said, “Well, if he’s going to do it, I’ll do it.” Steven then told me, “Jonathan Rhys Meyers is going to do it.” So I said, “Well, if Jonathan Rhys Meyers is going to do it, then I’m going to do it.” So he captured us both by using our affection for each other to get this movie made. I have an affection for Jonathan that should be said. I really like him, and I know him only a little, but I know a lot about him and I know his talent. So a lot of it is real, it’s just the way I deal with him. His response to me is real in a certain way because he sees me as a certain kind of figure, and I could be his father. Do you know what I mean? What does a father mean to him, you see? So we had a lot of exciting energy there. I really like this fella, and I hope I work again with him. His performance here is really quite amazing.
Leah Gibson as Michelle in ‘Mercy.’
MF: The movie is kind of like ‘Die Hard’ in a hospital, and in those terms, Leah Gibson definitely plays the John McClane role. What was it like working with her and watching her lead this project?
JV: Well, she’s a terrific person. The first time I met her, I recommended her to Steven Paul, the producer. I said, “I think she can do this.” I laughed with her, I must say, I was just delighted in talking to her the first time I spoke to her. But since then, I’ve seen work she did on a stage piece that was absolutely phenomenal. So she’s a big talent, and she had never played a part like this, actually. So it was an unusual transition, but she had all the physical capability and she’s a serious actor. So it was a great thing for her to be the movie star in this piece.
MF: What was it like collaborating on this project with director Tony Dean Smith?
JV: Well, this director, Tony Dean Smith, he thinks of himself as a writer, essentially. He’s written several scripts. He’s young and he’s looking for ways to express himself. He was editing a picture that we had done before, a picture called ‘Dangerous Game: The Legacy Murders’. The director of that film, Sean McNamara, is a wonderful filmmaker, and he recommended Steven to me and said that he was talented. He said, “Look at this fellow, because he’s got some talent.” There was several things about him initially in ‘Dangerous Game,’ his understanding of the music of the film, and his choice of the music for the Temp Dub. Well, he was very good at that, and he was a good editor. He knew film. He had a nice way about himself with actors. You could tell he had a lot of gifts toward this, very smart, very hardworking, and all this stuff. So Steven gave him a chance to direct it and I think he came through very beautifully with a limited schedule and all of that too. So you have to be pretty smart about where you put the camera and how you deal with it, and how you stay on point and stay on schedule. But, he did a good job, and that’s wonderful. I’m so glad for him because I think he deserves to be in this business and do more pieces now.
Director Frances Ford Coppola at the 50th Anniversary of ‘The Godfather’ event and historic street naming ceremony the Paramount Theater in Hollywood, CA on February 22nd, 2022. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures.
MF: Finally, what was it like for you working with Francis Ford Coppola on the upcoming ‘Megalopolis,’ and watching the acclaimed filmmaker execute his vision for the project that he has been working on for over 40 years?
JV: Well, it’s a very ambitious film. It’s unusual in this time to see somebody step out and do something that no nobody’s ever seen before. This is a time when everybody’s trying to follow somebody else, and he didn’t. He’s saying, “This is my vision.” People would maybe try to take him off that over the years, but he said, “No, this is what I want to do.” I was very honored to be part of it, that I could work with him again, because I worked with him on ‘The Rainmaker,’ John Grisham‘s movie with Matt Damon. We got along very well. So he said, “Well, there’s a part in this for you.” He stuck by his guns too, as people probably said, “You’re working with Jon Voight, are you out of your mind?” Whatever it is. He said, “No, he’s a person I’ve worked with before. I get along with him. I like him.” So I was honored to be working on the film. Then they had these great actors. Adam Driver is a wonderful actor, a very unique personality, and a serious artist. The same can be said of Shia LaBeouf. Shia LaBeouf, of course, I worked with him on ‘Holes’ and on his breakthrough performance in ‘Transformers.’ I really love this fellow’s work, and he has a very powerful role in ‘Megalopolis.’ Then I was able to work with Aubrey Plaza, who was somebody I had no real connection with, I hadn’t seen some of the things that she had done. But boy, I think she’s such a gifted person and has enormous talent and potential. So these three are three of the top actors of this generation. So Francis was very clever about that. We’ll see what happens. This is an unusual piece. No one’s ever seen anything like it before. I’m interested to see how it’s going to finish up.
