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  • ‘London Calling’ Interview: Josh Duhamel and Allan Ungar

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    Opening in theaters on September 19th is the new action comedy ‘London Calling’, which was directed by Allan Ungar (‘Bandit’) and stars Josh Duhamel (‘Shotgun Wedding’), Rick Hoffman (‘Suits’), Aidan Gillen (‘Game of Thrones’), and Jeremy Ray Taylor (‘It’).

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    (L to R) Josh Duhamel and 'London Calling' director Allan Ungar.
    (L to R) Josh Duhamel and ‘London Calling’ director Allan Ungar.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Josh Duhamel and director Allan Ungar about their work on ‘London Calling’, developing the screenplay, Duhamel’s character, Tommy and Julian’s friendship, working with Jeremy Ray Taylor, and Ungar’s directing style.

    You Can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch the interview.

    Related Article: Josh Duhamel and Elisha Cuthbert Talk True Crime Movie ‘Bandit’

    (L to R) Director/co-writer Allan Ungar and Aidan Gillen behind the scenes of the action comedy 'London Calling', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Director/co-writer Allan Ungar and Aidan Gillen behind the scenes of the action comedy ‘London Calling’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Allan, can you talk about developing the screenplay and the tone you were going for?

    Allan Ungar: Yeah, it’s funny, I got the script when Josh and I were on our last day of ‘Bandit’. I was battling jet lag. I was exhausted and it took me three weeks to read it, which is generally a pretty bad sign, but I fell in love with it. I think the element of a father-son story disguised as an action-comedy really appealed to me. So, we worked on the script for about a year because we were finishing post on ‘Bandit’, so it wasn’t something I could do every day. It harked back to the films that I grew up on, like ‘Midnight Run’, the buddy cop genre. My cinematographer and I talked about tone when we were talking about the look of the film. So, thinking back to a lot of the seminal, Tony Scott, Michael Bay movies of the 90s was a pretty big influence. Then sort of borrowing a little bit from the Guy Ritchie genre because I feel like he’s his own genre in a way.

    Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” in the action comedy 'London Calling', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” in the action comedy ‘London Calling’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Josh, can you talk about your first reaction to the screenplay and what excited you about playing this character?

    Josh Duhamel: From the beginning, he was talking about ‘London Calling’. I figured he was going to go make it with somebody else and he comes to me and finally I got to read the script he’d been talking about for a couple of years, and I just fell in love with it. I love the idea of this guy who was a little past his prime. In his mind, he’s still fully in his prime, but I think like any athlete, they always think they can still hang with the young ones, but they just lose a step. This guy is at that stage in life, and I’d loved that idea that he must face that reality then gets forced to LA to flee what happens in London. In the process reluctantly he must take this kid on a hit with him because his dad wants to toughen him up. Rick Hoffman plays the worst father of all time, by the way. In that interaction with this kid that he doesn’t want to be with, he finds that he’s really been lacking as a father and sees his son in this kid. Throughout all the follies, throughout the movie, he really starts to take a liking to this kid.

    (L to R) Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” and Jeremy Ray Taylor as “Julian” in the action comedy 'London Calling', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” and Jeremy Ray Taylor as “Julian” in the action comedy ‘London Calling’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Josh, can you talk about Tommy and Julian’s friendship and working with Jeremy Ray Taylor?

    JD: I really love Jeremy Ray Taylor. He’s such a talented kid, thoughtful, has a great sense of comedy and understands what each scene is supposed to bring and how deep he needs to go. It’s fun to work with him. So, I think that was a big motivator for me is knowing that this kid is really going to go there, and you must hang with him. I think it was that dynamic that really made it fun. Like Allan said, it felt like a buddy cop movie, but it was really an action comedy between these two guys who were unlikely.

    (L to R) Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” and Rick Hoffman as “Benson” in the action comedy 'London Calling', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” and Rick Hoffman as “Benson” in the action comedy ‘London Calling’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Allan, can you talk about working with the cast on set? Did you stick to the script or was there room to improvise?

    AU: Well, it’s funny you say this because when Josh and I first worked together on ‘Bandit’, he calls me very particular, or I’m “Mr. Particular”. So, I kind of map everything out. In a way, it’s rigid. Look, there’s positives and negatives to that. Day one of ‘Bandit’, I learned of Josh’s style, and it made me a better director. So, coming into this, I knew that there’d be opportunities to play because you find magic in the moment. When you bring an actor on like Josh, Rick, or Jeremy, you must let them interpret a little bit and to play and give them that freedom and flexibility. So, coming into this, we had wanted to find something to do together after ‘Bandit’. When I flipped it to him and I knew he was in, I was like, “Okay, we need to find a really eclectic rogues gallery of characters, because all these characters are so unique in their own way.” I always like to say that every character in this movie thinks they’re the hero of the story and they’re all kind of good guys in their own way, except Julian is the only pure character. So, going through the process, we just wanted everybody to have their own sense of identity and flavor that they could bring something different to the table.

    (L to R) Jeremy Ray Taylor as “Julian” and Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” in the action comedy 'London Calling', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Jeremy Ray Taylor as “Julian” and Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” in the action comedy ‘London Calling’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Finally, just to follow up, Josh, what’s “particular” about the way Allan directs?

    JD: This guy believes in no stone unturned, believe me, and I love that about him. He’s the most prepared, tenacious guy that I’ve ever worked with. But also, you can tell he’s a total sweetheart. In the beginning, I guess when I first met him on the phone talking about ‘Bandit’, he sounds like a grown man, but he’s young. I think he was in his late 20s when we first started working on ‘Bandit’. So, a total film nerd, a guy who doesn’t leave, like I said, any stone unturned. I love that, because I know that he’s thought everything through, which gives us as actors room to play, because I know that he’s made that space for us and he’s just a fun guy to work with and super talented. I think people are going to see that in the movie.

    Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” in the action comedy 'London Calling', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Josh Duhamel as “Tommy Ward” in the action comedy ‘London Calling’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    What is the plot of ‘London Calling’?

    After fleeing the UK from a job gone wrong, a down on his luck hitman (Josh Duhamel) is forced to babysit the son (Jeremy Ray Taylor) of his new crime boss (Rick Hoffman) and show him how to become a man.

    Who is in the cast of ‘London Calling’?

    • Josh Duhamel as Tommy Ward
    • Aidan Gillen as Freddy Darby
    • Jeremy Ray Taylor as Julian
    • Rick Hoffman as Benson
    'London Calling' opens in theaters on September 19th.
    ‘London Calling’ opens in theaters on September 19th.

    List of Josh Duhamel Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Josh Duhamel Movies On Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Cleaner’

    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    ‘Cleaner’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.

    Opening in theaters February 21st is ‘Cleaner,’ directed by Martin Campbell and starring Daisy Ridley, Matthew Tuck, Taz Skylar, Ruth Gemmell, Flavia Watson, and Clive Owen.

    Related Article: Daisy Ridley Talks Martin Campbell’s New Action Thriller ‘Cleaner’

    Initial Thoughts

    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Everything old is new again. Well, sort of. We love a good action thriller, and we’re aware that the genre has certain tropes and conventions that usually crop up in most movies of this kind, but ‘Cleaner’ takes it one step further. While many of the plot details are changed, this is a pretty brazen remake of ‘Die Hard,’ with a lone person – in this case a woman, played by Daisy Ridley of ‘Star Wars’ fame – battling terrorists who capture a corporate skyscraper and take the people inside as hostages.

    Our heroine has a loved one in the building that she’s desperate to keep safe as well, and her only communication with the outside world is with a cop who’s doing her best to keep our protagonist in the loop and out of the soup. It’s difficult to watch ‘Cleaner’ without constantly comparing it to Bruce Willis’ 1988 all-timer, but even on its own merits, ‘Cleaner’ doesn’t quite click thanks to some strange screenwriting choices.

    Story and Direction

    (L to R) Daisy Ridley and Director Martin Campbell behind the scenes of the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Daisy Ridley and Director Martin Campbell behind the scenes of the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    We first meet Joey Locke as a child, as she crawls out a window in her apartment and sits on a ledge while her abusive father goes after her mother and neurodivergent older brother inside. This heavy-handed bit of character development, of course, comes in handy later (she likes to climb!), when we meet the adult Joey (Ridley).

    Thrown out of the army for assaulting a fellow soldier (not quite what it seems), Joey works in London as a window cleaner at the vast Agnian Energy skyscraper. Her brother Michael (Matthew Tuck) has just been evicted from a care home for allegedly leaking some of their internal files (more exposition that also resurfaces later), with Joey struggling to figure out who’s going to take care of him next.

    Joey is perpetually late to her job and perpetually mouthy to her employers, which doesn’t sit right when she snarks off to one of the heads of Agnian, Gerald Milton (Lee Boardman), in an elevator. Meanwhile, she’s deposited Michael in the lobby under the care of a security guard and commiserates with her co-worker Noah (Taz Skylar) as they clean the windows midway up the building. Noah leaves her to finish the job while the rest of the building staff prepares for a glitzy shareholders’ party that Gerald and his brother Geoffrey (Rufus Jones) are throwing that evening.

    No sooner does the party begin than the building is invaded by a group of ecoterrorists known as Earth Revolution and led by Marcus Blake (Clive Owen), who holds the Miltons, their board, and their guests hostage, locks down the building, and plans to record confessions by the Miltons and the board of all their dirty dealings and clandestine anti-environmental activities.

    Joey, trapped on her window cleaning cradle outside when the building’s systems are shut down, can only listen in horror through her earpiece while Michael hides out on one of the upper floors. She’s even more horrified when she learns that one of Marcus’ foot soldiers is none other than Noah – who, it turns out, has his own plans to wrest the operation from Marcus and upgrade it to a more destructive event.

    Clive Owen as “Marcus“ in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Clive Owen as “Marcus“ in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Swap out the great Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber and his high-tech burglars for Clive Owen and the ecoterrorist bunch, replace Bruce Willis’ John McClane with Ridley’s Joey and McClane’s wife for Joey’s brother, and change up LAPD sergeant Al Powell for London police superintendent Claire Hume (Ruth Gemmell), and all the basic components from ‘Die Hard’ are basically in place.

    There are differences, of course: Gruber never faces an internal uprising from his second-in-command, who turns out to be a true psychopath, and the aims of the group are radically different. It also takes a long time in ‘Die Hard’ for the LAPD to believe in McClane and his story; ‘Cleaner’ plays for a few minutes with the London police thinking that Joey herself is the terrorist before that would-be complication is dispatched.

    That’s the second biggest problem with ‘Cleaner’: it plays like a Cliff Notes version of ‘Die Hard’ with the names changed. Director Martin Campbell, best known for two of James Bond’s finest films — ‘GoldenEye’ and ‘Casino Royale’ — can handle the action capably enough (unfortunate CG flames and explosions aside), but there’s a lot more talking on phones than forward momentum, and it weirdly seems easy for people to get around the building. While Campbell does manage to elicit some tension, thanks mainly to the unhinged Noah, there’s little sense of the cat-and-mouse suspense that the movie needs.

    And that is due to the biggest problem of all: the screenplay (by Simon Uttley, Paul Andrew Williams, and Matthew Orton) strands Joey on that damn cradle for almost the entire second act, making her a bystander instead of the pro-active force that she should be. When she finally gets in the game for real in the third act, she fights her way through the terrorists almost too easily as the movie barrels toward its resolution. Instead of being a wild card throwing sand in the gears of the terrorists’ seemingly well-oiled plans while barely staying one step ahead of them, Joey mostly cools her heels while the window cleaning cradle tilts this way and that.

    It’s a strange imbalance that, coupled with the perfunctory development of both the characters and their relationships (the script tries to forge the same McClane/Powell connection between Joey and Claire, but it’s purely surface level), makes ‘Cleaner’ feel like an intermittently interesting, half-hearted remake of a film that is the gold standard for the genre.

    The Cast

    (L to R) Daisy Ridley as “Joey” and Matthew Tuck as “Michael” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Daisy Ridley as “Joey” and Matthew Tuck as “Michael” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Perhaps the best part of ‘Cleaner’ is the relationship between Daisy Ridley’s Joey and Michael Tuck’s Matthew. It’s too bad we don’t get to see enough of it, but the two actors generate a genuine warmth and sibling chemistry. Tuck, a relative newcomer who’s neurodivergent himself, brings sensitivity to his portrayal of a young man who’s fiercely devoted to his sister and battles against his challenges to help her – even if the script leaves him skulking around corners most of the time.

    As for Ridley, the toxic minority of so-called ‘Star Wars’ fans who have hounded her mercilessly cannot overshadow the fact that she is a fine actor. She’s warm and funny here, and brings a terrific physicality to the action scenes when she finally gets a chance. It’s just a shame that her character is semi-sketched in and that she doesn’t get the chance to get onto the playing field until late in the movie – where everything happens so quickly that we don’t feel for her the way we do for the increasingly bedraggled McClane. There’s also a somewhat preposterous showdown at the end that harkens back to, of all things, a scene in ‘Avengers: Endgame’ — only a little less believable.

    As for the rest of the cast, Taz Skylar does bring a frightening intensity to Noah that generates much of the film’s suspense, and at least the writers don’t try to make him or Clive Owen (in his brief screen time) emulate Alan Rickman’s incomparable Gruber. Ruth Gemmell brings a strong presence and intelligence to the role of Claire, but she too gets little to work with.

    Final Thoughts

    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Martin Campbell and his cast work hard to give ‘Cleaner’ a big feel and high stakes, but the film can’t help but seem small. It’s so nakedly reminiscent of ‘Die Hard’ in its general structure and premise that it simply can’t escape the comparison. ‘Cleaner’ only echoes past glories of the genre without finding any depth or voice of its own.

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    What is the plot of ‘Cleaner’?

    An ex-soldier named Joey (Daisy Ridley) is working as a window cleaner at an energy corporation’s London skyscraper when a radical activist group takes over the building, leaving her trapped outside 50 stories in the air as she attempts to get back in, rescue the hostages, and save her brother who’s also inside.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Cleaner’?

    • Daisy Ridley as Joey Locke
    • Matthew Tuck as Michael Locke
    • Taz Skylar as Noah
    • Clive Owen as Marcus Blake
    • Ruth Gemmell as Superintendent Claire Hume
    • Flavia Watson as Zee
    • Lee Boardman as Gerald Milton
    • Rufus Jones as Geoffrey Milton
    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Other Daisy Ridley Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Cleaner’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Daisy Ridley Movies On Amazon

  • ‘Cleaner’ Exclusive Interview: Daisy Ridley

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    Opening in theaters on February 21st is the new action thriller ‘Clearner’, which was directed by Martin Campbell (‘Casino Royale’ and ‘Edge of Darkness’) and stars Daisy Ridley (‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’), Taz Skylar (‘One Piece’), and Clive Owen (‘Children of Men’).

    Related Article: Daisy Ridley and Tom Bateman Talk ‘Magpie’ and Developing the Story

    Daisy Ridley stars in 'Cleaner'.
    Daisy Ridley stars in ‘Cleaner’.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Daisy Ridley about her work on ‘Cleaner’, her first reaction to the screenplay, comparisons to ‘Die Hard’, her character’s relationship with her brother, shooting the action sequences, and working with director Martin Campbell.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Ridley, Taz Skylar, and director Martin Campbell.

    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay, and did it read like an old school action movie such as ‘Die Hard’, where one hero is pitted against a group of terrorists in a confined space?

    Daisy Ridley: When I finished it the first time, I thought, “Brilliant.” It was so propulsive and page-turning. Of course, you know ultimately, well you hope, that the good guy is going to win. But I could not, I was like, how is this going to be resolved? But that also coupled with the idea of working with Martin Campbell. But making it, I was excited to make a British action movie. Then of course it is essentially a love letter to ‘Die Hard’. I hadn’t thought about it in terms of one hero against everyone because I was so alone for so much of it, but because I’m constantly on the phone to the police, and me and the police officer build such a rapport and trying to figure out how to defeat what is ahead of us, and then me and my brother have built this beautiful relationship in the film, and that’s part of it. I felt weirdly alone but had a team. So, in that way it was lovely.

    (L to R) Daisy Ridley as “Joey” and Matthew Tuck as “Michael” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Daisy Ridley as “Joey” and Matthew Tuck as “Michael” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Can you talk about the trauma Joey suffered as a child, as well as her relationship with her brother, and what she’s willing to do to protect him?

    DR: It’s interesting because I feel like their relationship, I really wanted to honor relationships between siblings where one is in more of a caregiving position, and what that can do to the relationship and the dynamics that her and her brother have. Clearly, they love each other so much, but also, they are siblings. So, they fight, and they lash out and then they’re regretful, and certainly playing her, she loves him, but she has over the years put things off. In the small amount of time they have, she tries to say to him, “I’m so sorry for the time that was wasted up until now, and now we have no time.” But it’s so her driving force for the end of the film, and he ends up being such a hero in a way that I think is so beautiful. But working with Matt (Tuck), this is his first film, which is insane. Working with him was so wonderful, and it felt real in that she ends up taking accountability for the way she hasn’t been a great sister, but of course you learn that their childhood was difficult. Essentially everyone’s just trying to do the best they can really.

    (L to R) Daisy Ridley and Director Martin Campbell behind the scenes of the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Daisy Ridley and Director Martin Campbell behind the scenes of the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: What was it like working with director Martin Campbell on this movie?

    DR: I mean, the whole shoot honestly was taxing because the of physical stuff, of course, but emotionally maintaining that level of angst, and understanding that the audience can’t be that angsty the whole time, so there has to be levels to the angst. I really had to rely on Martin to guide me through those levels. He’s just so wonderful to work with, really drawing out the emotion of the actors he’s working with and these relationships, so it feels like people you want to get behind. But I can’t speak highly enough of Martin, I just think he’s wonderful.

    Daisy Ridley behind the scenes of the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Daisy Ridley behind the scenes of the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Finally, what was the most challenging action scene that you were asked to perform and how did you execute it?

    DR: Well, weirdly, the fight, I was really bruised. Like I was hurt. I’m pretty sure I wrenched something in my shoulder. But weirdly, the hardest thing was when I’m Spider-Woman for a moment, and it’s funny because a lot of the fighting is very realistic, but it’s the moment I was like, “Where does Joey come from?” But I dropped from the ceiling, must put a bag over someone’s head, and then I’m shoved into something here, and then I had to shove the stunt guy out of the shot. Someone was holding my toes, because I was just on wires that two guys were holding in the corner. I was floating, so someone had to hold my toes, so I was a bit stable. Then run away, and then my adrenaline was going because there was such choreography with the camera, I had to drop. A few times I missed his head. Then everything had to be so perfect. We ended up doing it maybe 50 times and my adrenaline was spiking. So weirdly, that ended up being one of the hardest moments, because there was so much to that one piece.

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    What is the plot of ‘Cleaner’?

    When activists take over an energy company’s annual gala held at One Canada Square, Canary Wharf in London, some more radical members of their group take hostages and threaten to blow up the building if police intervene. A dishonorably discharged but highly trained ex-soldier (Daisy Ridley), who works as the building’s window cleaner, attempts to save the hostages when she learns one of them is her older brother.

    Who is in the cast of ‘Cleaner’?

    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film 'Cleaner', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Daisy Ridley as “Joey” in the action film ‘Cleaner’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Other Daisy Ridley Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Cleaner’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Daisy Ridley Movies On Amazon

  • ‘Seven Cemeteries’ Exclusive Interview: Danny Trejo

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    Opening in theaters, digital and On Demand beginning October 11th is the new horror-comedy ‘Seven Cemeteries‘, which was directed by John Gulager (‘Piranha 3DD’).

    The film stars legendary actor Danny Trejo (‘Machete’, ‘Heat’, ‘Con Air’), as well as Sal Lopez (‘Full Metal Jacket’), Samantha Gonzalez (‘Station 19’), Efren Ramirez (‘Napoleon Dynamite’), Vincent M. Ward (‘The Walking Dead’), Lew Temple (‘Unstoppable’), Richard Esteras (‘The Bear’), Emma Ramos (‘New Amsterdam’), Sol Rodriguez (‘Star Trek: Picard’), and Maria Canals-Barrera (‘Wizards of Waverly Place’).

    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, 'Seven Cemeteries', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, ‘Seven Cemeteries’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Related Article: Jon Voight Talks ‘The Painter’ and If He’ll Appear in ‘Heat 2’

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Danny Trejo about his work on ‘Seven Cemeteries’, his first reaction to the screenplay, his character, the zombie genre, working with his son and the rest of the cast, and collaborating with director John Gulager, as well as a look back at his work on ‘Heat’ and ‘Machete’, if he would appear in possible upcoming sequels for either of those films, his popular Taco and Donut restaurants and the longevity of his incredible career.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.

    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, 'Seven Cemeteries', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, ‘Seven Cemeteries’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to the screenplay and the idea of playing Santana Bravo?

    Danny Trejo: It’s great. It’s going to be a great movie. It’s funny and there’s horror in it, but it’s always a laugh somewhere. First, I first read it, and I laughed. To me, it was funny, and I loved the characters. Lew (Temple), he’s beautiful in this. He’s good at whatever he does, but the whole cast gelled so well, and when I read it, it’s like, “Yeah, this is going to be fun.” Samantha (Ashley), she was great. So, we went from there. It was just cool.

    MF: Did you recognize right away that Santana Bravo would be a great Danny Trejo character?

    DT: I just knew that that was like a culmination of about five of my movies, and I thought, “Yeah, it’s going to be good.” We had fun with it. I had a lot of fun with Bravo and all these guys I know. We went up through the ranks and it was so much fun. So much fun to play with these guys. I love this movie. It’s one of the movies I’m proud of. I think people will walk away laughing because it’s a horror movie with comedy in it. It’s just enough comedy to be funny. But there’s some scary parts in it.

    (L to R) Richard Esteras as “Quasimodo,” Emma Ramos as “Dolores,” Danny Trejo as “Bravo,” Lew Temple as “Tommy” and Vincent M. Ward as “Eugene” in the horror/thriller/action film, 'Seven Cemeteries', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Richard Esteras as “Quasimodo,” Emma Ramos as “Dolores,” Danny Trejo as “Bravo,” Lew Temple as “Tommy” and Vincent M. Ward as “Eugene” in the horror/thriller/action film, ‘Seven Cemeteries’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Would it be fair to say that ‘Seven Cemeteries’ is a zombie version of ‘Seven Samurai’?

    DT: Yeah, or ‘The Magnificent Seven’, and it was John, the director, who is unbelievable. He had my son, Gilbert as the second unit director. It was amazing because my son plays me as a younger me, and it’s so funny, because that big tattoo that I got on my chest, they put it on him. He goes like this (looking at the fake tattoo), “You are an idiot.”

    MF: Can you talk about working with director John Gulager?

    DT: He was great. I like him because he’s got a sense of humor. I like him because he can take it. Most directors can be funny, but if you laugh at them, suddenly, your part gets less. But we had so much fun. It was funny, we were in Oklahoma or something. I forget where we were. There’s this spider in a web and it’s like breathing. I said, “Hey, you want me to play next to that?” He goes (in a sarcastic voice), “You want me to play next to that?” I just had to laugh. “Shut up, man. Do we have a spider wrangler?” But we had a lot of fun on this film.

    (L to R) Director Michael Mann, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro on the set of 1995's 'Heat'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    (L to R) Director Michael Mann, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro on the set of 1995’s ‘Heat’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    MF: Speaking of directors, what was it like working with Michael Mann, as well as Robert De Niro and the rest of the cast of 1995’s groundbreaking ‘Heat’?

    DT: I think that movie, I think that pushed my stock way up quite a bit because every time those guys would get interviewed, they talked good about me. There was one scene that I just cracked everybody up because De Niro was asking them whether they wanted to be in this robbery. Val (Kilmer) had a speech and Tom Sizemore had a speech, and then he looks at me and he goes, “Are you in?” And I said, “Yeah, Hell yeah.” So, they all laughed. They realized I had just stolen that whole scene by saying nothing. That was just an improvisation.

    MF: Mann has written a sequel novel, which also acts as a prequel to the original film and has talked about adapting it into a movie. Is that something you would be interested in appearing in, and how would that work since your character died in the first movie?

    DT: I keep bugging him. “Hey, I want to be in that.” If it’s before (the original movie), my son (Gilbert) can do it.

    Danny Trejo as Isador "Machete" Cortez in 'Machete'. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
    Danny Trejo as Isador “Machete” Cortez in ‘Machete’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

    MF: What’s the status of the proposed third ‘Machete’ movie, ‘Machete Kills Again… in Space’?

    DT: I want you to post, “Robert Rodriguez, let’s do ‘Machete Kills in Space’. The whole country’s waiting for it.”

    MF: So, you are open to returning for another ‘Machete’?

    DT: Oh, yeah. You kidding? I love that movie. I’m still in great shape. I still lift weights. I don’t jog as much, but I do a lot of walking.

    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, 'Seven Cemeteries', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, ‘Seven Cemeteries’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: You’re also a restaurateur now with Trejo’s Cantina and Trejo’s Coffee and Donuts. Do you enjoy being in the restaurant business?

    DT: You know what, we’ve got four restaurants. They’re doing great. We have one Cantina, Trejo’s Cantina in Hollywood, and then we’ve got one in London on Portobello Road. It’s killing it and London doesn’t have real good food. They love Mexican food. Then we’re opening one in Detroit, but we’re going to open that one up like the House of Blues because I have a record label, Trejo Music, and we’re going to have some of my recording artists and everybody else in there.

    MF: Did you even imagine when you were younger that you would end up not only a movie star but a restaurateur and an entrepreneur as well?

    DT: Yeah, but there was a time when I couldn’t even imagine getting out of prison. 30 years ago, I started in the business in 1985 and it was totally by accident. I ran into this friend of mine named Eddie Bunker, and me and him were in San Quentin together. He remembered that I was the lightweight and welterweight champion there. He said they needed somebody to train one of the actors in this film. It was called ‘Runaway Train’. I said, “What does it pay?” He said, “$320 a day.” I said, “I’ll bet you want this guy beat up.” I thought he wanted me to beat somebody up. I’d have done it for another 50 bucks because they were going to give me 50 bucks for acting like a convict. When they offered me the 50 bucks for acting like a convict, me and Eddie laughed, because we’d been doing that for free forever. You know what I mean? I started training an actor named Eric Roberts how to box for the movie ‘Runaway Train’. The director (Andrei Konchalovsky) saw me, saw that I could deal with Eric, and they kept me on. They gave me a SAG card. If I would’ve known what Andrei Konchalovsky did for me on that set, it changed my whole life. I’m still a drug counselor. I still work for Western Pacific Rehab in Glendale, and we detox heroin addicts, and we’re also in Ventura and Los Angeles. So, when I’m not doing movies, I’m at the detox.

    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, 'Seven Cemeteries', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, ‘Seven Cemeteries’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Do you even know how many movies you’ve appeared in at this point?

    DT: They got me at 400 appearances. I don’t know what that means, so I have no idea. I just work. It’s funny. Sometimes I’m watching a movie and I’m like, “Hey, I’m in this,” and I didn’t even know I was in it.

    MF: Finally, if you had to pick one movie that you are most proud of, what would it be?

    DT: Well, you know what, working with Robert De Niro was one of the high points, and I worked with him on ‘Heat’. Then when we did ‘Machete’, we had asked him if he would (be in it) and he said, “Yes.” When we were doing ‘Heat’, I was always going, “Hey you, number one,” because he was number one on the call sheet, right? Then when he saw me on ‘Machete’, he went, “Hey, you, number one.” So that was one of the high points of my career. Then next, working with Selma Hayek (on ‘Desperado’). When guys tell me, “God, I thought you were taller.” I go, “Well, I was tall enough to kiss Jessica Alba (in ‘Machete’). How’s that?”

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    What is the plot of ‘Seven Cemeteries’?

    A recent parolee (Danny Trejo) gets a Mexican witch (Maria Canals-Barrera) to resurrect his old posse so that they can help him save a woman’s (Samantha Gonzalez) ranch from a ruthless drug lord (Sal Lopez).

    Who is in the cast of ‘Seven Cemeteries’?

    • Danny Trejo as Santana Bravo
    • Sal Lopez as Abuelo
    • Samantha Gonzalez as Carmela
    • Efren Ramirez as Miguel
    • Vincent M. Ward as Eugene
    • Lew Temple as Tommy Lasorda
    • Richard Esteras as Quasimodo
    • Emma Ramos as Dolores
    • Sol Rodriguez as Guadalupe
    • Maria Canals-Barrera as Bruja
    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, 'Seven Cemeteries', a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.
    Danny Trejo as “Bravo” in the horror/thriller/action film, ‘Seven Cemeteries’, a Quiver Distribution release. Photo courtesy of Quiver Distribution.

    Other Danny Trejo Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Tickets: ‘Seven Cemeteries’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy Danny Trejo Movies On Amazon

     

  • ‘The Problem with People’ Interview: Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney

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    Opening in theaters on October 4th is the new comedy ‘The Problem with People‘ which was directed by Chris Cottam (‘The Lives of the Saints’), written by Paul Reiser (‘Aliens’, ‘Beverly Hills Cop’) and Wally Marzano-Lesnevich (‘Almost Paris’), and stars Reiser, Colm Meaney (‘Layer Cake’), and Jane Levy (‘Evil Dead’).

    Related Article: Eddie Murphy is More His Old, Entertaining Self in ‘Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F’

    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney about their work on ‘The Problem with People’, Reiser’s work developing the screenplay, the relationship between the two characters and their conflict, shooting in Ireland, and working with each other, as well as actress Jane Levy and director Chris Cottam.

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews.

    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Paul, can you talk about developing the screenplay and the themes you wanted to explore with this family comedy?

    Paul Reiser: Good question. The inception was I always wanted to go to Ireland. I had been to Ireland years ago and loved it and was hungering to make a movie there and just be in that kind of environment. So, for many years, I would play with the idea, and I never found a story that, why is this American going to Ireland and what would be funny? So, we needed a conflict. Then I met my co-writer, Wally, because it felt like I had been sitting with it long enough. I should probably bounce it off with somebody else. It’s always helpful. Then we came upon this story, and I wondered if it’s a family feud and the goal, so now there’s a reason for this. He’s going, he’s invited. It wasn’t even his idea. I’ve been invited by the long-lost cousin I’d never heard of to settle this silly generational fight. So I go, “That’s interesting. That’s fun to write and you know it’s going to go bad.” So, the idea that there’s two guys, good people, well-intended, very noble intentions who just can’t stop tripping over themselves and falling to their worst instincts. That’s a fun thing to write. Then getting to play opposite Colm Meaney to do it, well, that was a dream. So, every family, I don’t know any family that doesn’t have some crap that they’re going through. This sister doesn’t talk to that brother. It’s like, “Why? I don’t even remember.” It’s just been nine years. I remember I’ve had stuff in my family, and I thought, let me see if I can get together. I remember I once planned a family trip and it blew up on me. It was like, “Well, that was bad. We aren’t doing that again.” So, I’ve always been fascinated by why do people cross each other? Why is there such suspicion and how could we possibly make it otherwise? Hopefully this movie is a fun, funny example of people trying to resolve conflicts to the best of their limited abilities.

    MF: Colm, what was your first reaction to Paul’s screenplay and the relationship between these two cousins?

    Colm Meaney: I loved it. I absolutely loved it. It kind of came out of the blue. I mean, I was a fan of Paul’s. I admired his work for years, but I thought, “Oh, he wrote a script set in Ireland?” I didn’t know he was a writer. I’ve said a few times before, as an Irish actor, you tend to approach scripts written by Americans set in Ireland with a little bit of trepidation because of past faux pas. It’s a very outdated and kind of strange view of Ireland as this kind of stuck in the Middle Ages or something. Ireland is a modern country. When I read the script, it was thrilling to read a script that captured the kind of Ireland of today, so accurately and so well, and yet was able to incorporate into that in many ways, Irish humor, in terms of people’s attitudes to each other and the exchanges they might have. I thought Paul had spent years in Ireland for some reason and I thought, “This is great. This is just so good.” The dialogue was wonderful. It made me laugh. I told Paul the other night, I saw the film for the first time the other night. It made me cry in three or four places, which is quite an achievement. I don’t do that. That was my reaction to the script, and it just got better and better from there. It became a real joy to do, and it’s a real tribute to Paul’s soul, for want of a better word, that he was able to achieve this in this script.

    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Paul, why was Chris Cottam the right person to direct this movie and tell this story?

    PR: He’s British, but he’s shot and worked a lot in Ireland and done a lot of, almost mostly comedy, and a great visual sense. He’s a very successful commercial director, and we hit it off and he really got the script in all the best ways. I know when somebody says, “Oh, I read the script and I liked this scene,” I went, “Well, okay.” If somebody goes, “You know that little thing that doesn’t look like it’s anything, I love that.” I went, “Okay, this is the guy for me.” But he was very committed to doing everything authentically. He said, “If nothing else, I want the audience in Ireland to go, ‘yes, that’s factual. That’s not too cutesy. It’s not too romanticized.’” Other than Jane Levy and I, the cast is entirely Irish. All the actors and all the background actors. The sets, we didn’t build any sets, those were real places. But you know, it’s funny, you talk about a sense of humor. The first scene, and I remember we had this idea right off the top, when Colm’s character picks me up at the train station, and we’re driving and there’s that awkwardness of like, “Oh, we’ve never met, but we are both friendly.” What was written in the script, it’s like they should be friends. They almost have the same sense of humor, but it’s not locking. They’re just, “What’s wrong with him? What’s wrong with him?” It’s like, that’s where it starts. It’s like, “Okay, I made a joke. He didn’t get the joke.” He’s going, “He didn’t get my joke either.” I’m like, that’s the beginning of trouble right there because he didn’t get the joke.

    MF: Colm, can you talk about the dying wish Ciáran’s father makes and what happens when he meets Barry?

    CM: Well, it’s an imposition. My dad is a pain in the ass. He’s been dying for the last 35 years. I mean, I take care of him, and I look after him. I had been married previously, so I lived out of the house. But since my divorce, I’ve come back to take care of him and I’m doing it, but it’s a pain in the ass. He really is. Now this, “Go find this cousin in New York,” for God’s sake, you know.

    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Colm Meaney and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Paul, can you talk about Barry’s reaction to receiving a call from his long-lost cousin, and how things begin to go wrong between them?

    PR: Yeah. He goes, “I want you to do something.” “No, I want you to go find a guy that you never heard of and don’t know where to look.” But what was from the get-go and was always in my mind for the first scene, we meet Colm, who is just over it. We meet him and there’s a beautiful rainbow. He goes, “Yeah, I’ve seen it. I don’t care. You’re not impressing me.” Colm, personally, is a force. I mean, he’s just a big strong personality. To see him, his character bullied and beaten down by his frail father. It’s like, that’s funny to see this guy and you see, “Go find him.” You see Colm and it’s like, “Oh, this poor guy.” He’s been in this unglamorous business running the funeral parlor, taking care of his father, and he just wants to get out of there and he wants to see the world. Here’s me in the thick of the action in New York like, “I would just love to sit by a cottage by a lake.” So, we’re just in the wrong place, is all it is. Then we hopefully get closer to our intended goals. But that from the beginning of him being obligated, you also are right away like this guy, like he’s taking care of his old man, for God’s sake. He must be a good fella. To me, the shorthand is when the phone rings and anybody calls on a landline, it isn’t for you. So, I literally, I answer the phone, “I’m not interested.” “Do I have the right number?” “I doubt it.” It’s like there’s just a huge veneer of skepticism and impatience. Then he says the right thing. He went, “Was your father’s name Joseph? Do you by chance have relatives in Ireland?” I’m like, “Oh, actually, I don’t know who you are, but that’s not untrue.” He slowly gets under my skin and the skepticism is there and Jane Levy goes, “You didn’t think it was a scam?” “Oh, I thought it was a scam, believe me, of course. But no, he said some right things.” Even then it takes my daughter to say, “I think you should go. I got things under control. You can stop worrying. Go take it easy.” That’s how I go places by the way. It’s never my own choice. It’s like, “We can’t say no to this invitation.” All right. That’s the only way I go anywhere.

    MF: Paul, can you talk about Barry’s relationship with his daughter and working with Jane Levy?

    PR: She doesn’t have that much screen time, but she’s just so powerful and great. I was saying the other night at the screening, there’s a scene where she gets a call and she gets teary-eyed, and there’s no dialogue. I just start watering every time I see her face, I go, “Wow, I don’t even know what that is. Is that acting?” She’s just so powerful and good. As it turns out, I grew up with her dad. Her dad is an old buddy of mine. That’s not how she got the job. I knew her as an actress. Then way later (I realized) I grew up with (her dad), we were in a band. I played keyboards. He was a guitar player. We were a very bad band in 1969 and 1970. We made over $300 in over seven years. But to play her father was instinctive. It’s like, she is my friend’s daughter, so it’s close enough. But we were the only Americans. Everybody else, it was a purely Irish cast and crew.

    (L to R) Jane Levy and Paul Reiser in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Jane Levy and Paul Reiser in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Colm, as an Irishman yourself, what was it like shooting a movie in Ireland with a predominantly Irish cast?

    CM: It was wonderful there, but that again came from the nature of the project and the joy and all that. I mean, I’ve been on some tough shoots in Ireland, as well. But I always enjoyed working in Ireland. As time goes on and the older I get, I feel very drawn to our work in Ireland to be there. But yeah, I really enjoy working and now there’s good facilities and terrific crews, and it’s not a hardship to go and work in Ireland anymore like it used to be.

    MF: Colm, what was your experience like working with Paul?

    CM: We only met the week we started shooting. We’d spoken to each other and texted each other over the three years that Paul had spoken about, trying to get the thing up and running. We kept in touch intermittently and we got on as you do to the extent that you can on the phone. But then we first met in Dublin just the week we started shooting and had a pint. I think we just hit it off and we enjoyed each other’s company. Then when the actual work started, it just clicked. He is a wonderful man to spend time with, wonderful company.

    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    (L to R) Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    MF: Finally, Paul, what was your experience like working with Colm?

    PR: It was lovely. I was reminded, somewhere in the middle of the shoot, Colm says, “How’s it all going, producing?” I went, “Yeah, it’s good.” He goes, “Everything’s okay?” I went, “Yeah, did I miss a meeting? ” He goes, “No, you seem like very calm.” I went, “I don’t know. It’s all going well.” There was something very blessed about the whole production. We have beautiful weather. A lot of it is, again, to do with our director Chris who has a great sense of humor and a great lightness of touch and great preparation. There’s usually chaos, trauma and drama. As far as we know, that didn’t happen. I’m happy to say and report that people do see it on the film. They go, “You guys look like you were having fun.” I go. “We really did.” It was really a lovely experience, and we hope everybody goes see it.

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    What is the plot of ‘The Problem with People’?

    Two distant cousins (Paul Reiser and Colm Meaney) who’ve never met – one in NYC, the other in the smallest town there is in Ireland – come together to finally put an end to a generations-long family feud. It doesn’t go well. ‘The Problem with People’, set in beautifully lush Irish countryside, is a heartwarming comedy about family, world peace … and sheep.

    Who is in the cast of ‘The Problem with People’?

    • Colm Meaney as Ciáran’
    • Paul Reiser as Barry
    • Jane Levy as Natalya
    • Lucianne McEvoy as Fiona
    Paul Reiser stars in 'The Problem with People'. Photo: Quiver Distribution.
    Paul Reiser stars in ‘The Problem with People’. Photo: Quiver Distribution.

    Other Paul Reiser Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Paul Reiser Movies on Amazon