Interview: Gina Prince-Bythewood and Nate Parker Talk 'Beyond the Lights'

In 2000 Gina Prince-Bythewood gave us one of the great modern love stories in Love & Basketball, a film that starred two up and coming African-American actors in Sanaa Lathan and Omar Epps. It took eight years before her next feature, The Secret Life of Bees, but what her fans had really been aching for was another insightful, passionate romance, and the wait is finally over with this weekend's release of Beyond the Lights.

Starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who earned rave reviews earlier this year for Belle, and Nate Parker who has been great in everything from The Great Debaters to Ain't them Bodies Saints, the film is set against the backdrop of the music industry, following the romance that brews between a troubled singer and a protective LA cop. With my Addicted to Film colleague Tim Gordon, I had the chance to speak with Prince-Bythewood and Parker about the long wait between her movies, the difficulty in getting studios to support romance films with African-American stars, and much more.  You can check out my review of Beyond the Lights here, and watch the interview below!


Interview: Gina Prince-Bythewood & Nate Parker of 'Beyond the Lights' by Punch Drunk Critics

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Review: 'Beyond the Lights' starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Nate Parker

Fourteen years ago Gina Prince-Bythewood delivered one of the best modern romances featuring African-American stars in Love & Basketball. The film established her as a filmmaker willing to take a hard line with her characters; to show the complexities in them, both the good and bad, set inside an insular world few of us are familiar with. That she was able to make a film about a black relationship that wasn't just about their blackness was refreshing then and is just as much now with Beyond the Lights, a steamy, passionate romance set in the not-so-glitzy world of showbiz.

What? I know you're shocked that being famous isn't all it's cracked up to be. That story has been trotted out on the silver screen so often it deserves a genre to itself. So at least in one regard Beyond the Lights is a little familiar, but the execution of it, thanks to Prince-Bythewood and her two magnetic stars are what elevate the material. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, so impressive earlier this year in Belle, does a complete 180 as Noni, a biracial pop music superstar raised on the hard-scrabble streets of England by her fame-seeking mom (Minnie Driver). Quick as lightning she's gone from having nothing to having everything; paparazzi following her every move, a super-hot rapper boyfriend, and a debut album on the way expected to sell millions. But being an auto tuned pop starlet isn't who Noni wants to be. There's so much more she has to offer if only someone would "see" her. Fortunately, stoic and handsome LAPD cop Kaz Nicol (Nate Parker) does see Noni throwing herself off a balcony in a drunken fit of depression. Saving her and showing far more concern for her than mommy dearest, Noni decides she wants to keep Kaz around for a little while as her personal bodyguard. Yes, this is basically A Star is Born mixed with The Bodyguard, but you won't have to worry about any lame serial killer subplots getting in the way of passionate embraces.

The nuts and bolts we recognize, but Prince-Bythewood uses the premise to explore issues of race, sexuality, and identity, in particular for women who find themselves in the public spotlight. While her intensely sexual public persona is what sells records and keeps mom happy, in private Noni sees herself as Nina Simone, one of the most fiercely independent African-American singers of her time. At the same time Kaz is dealing with his own identity issues, squabbling with his father (Danny Glover) who thinks kickin' it with a saucy pop star is no way to launch a political career. But is that what Kaz really wants? Both lost in the expectations of others, it's no surprise when Kaz and Noni become lovers, defiantly fighting for a chance to just be themselves. One of the things that made Love & Basketball work so well and is recaptured here is that despite all of the ups and downs these lovers endure, there is a fundamental respect between them. Kaz and Noni push one another to be their best, even without realizing it. It's rare to find a filmmaker who can make both a great date night movie that is also a nuanced critique on anything, but Prince-Bythewood is one of those who do it with ease. She gets plenty of support by Parker and Mbatha-Raw, who smolder in their scenes together. I've been saying for years that Parker is the next Denzel Washington; he's got the kind of presence that is undeniable, powerful and instantly commanding. Mbatha-Raw takes what could have been a "woe is me" role and brings real gravitas to it. Tasked with basically playing two characters: the stage "Noni" and the genuine, unglamorous Noni, Mbatha-Raw excels and both and makes us believe someone like Kaz could love her.

While the use of Nina Simone's "Blackbird" (also the film's original title) is overdone and Prince-Bythewood doesn't dig into the gender politics of fame deeply enough, Beyond the Lights is an impassioned film about being true to oneself, in career and in love. 

 Rating: 3.5 out of 5

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Nate Parker Adds Armie Hammer to Directorial Debut, 'The Birth of a Nation'

This weekend you'll be able to watch Nate Parker smolder opposite Gugu Mbatha-Raw in the pop music romance, Beyond the Lights. I've long been under the belief that Parker is the next Denzel Washington (they starred together in The Great Debaters), and like Denzel he's taking a turn behind the camera. Parker has been developing his directorial debut, a Nat Turner biopic titled The Birth of a Nation, and he's just added his first major co-star.

Armie Hammer, who hasn't been seen much since The Lone Ranger, has joined the film about Turner, an African-American slave who famously led a violent rebellion throughout Virginia in 1831 that led to the deaths of more than 60 whites. Turner would become one of the most controversial figures in American history. Hammer will play Samuel Turner, the son of Nat's first master.

Parker has been taking his time getting everything just right for this one, and for good reason. It's an important story that's bound to be polarizing whenever it does come out. As it stands right now there's no word on when he'll begin production.  In the meantime, we'll see Hammer next in Warner Bros.' remake of The Man from UNCLE.  [Deadline]

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Nate Parker and Gugu Mbatha-Raw go 'Beyond the Lights' in New Trailer

Hard to believe it has been fourteen years since Gina Prince-Blythewood directed Love & Basketball, a film many (like myself) look at as part of a particularly strong wave of African-American cinema. She's been pretty quiet since then, at least on the big screen, with her last movie the 2008 adaptation of The Secret Life of Bees which was about as enjoyable as a bee sting. But now she's back and boasting another gorgeous cast with Beyond the Lights, a film that finds romance within the music industry.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw, coming off an acclaimed performance in Belle, stars as Noni Jean, an award-winning singer succumbing to the pressures of fame. But just as she's on the verge of a breakdown she's rescued by the relationship she forges with Kaz (Nate Parker), a police officer who "sees her" for who she really is. It basically looks like somebody wanted to remake The Bodyguard without being obvious about it, but the cast, which includes Minnie Driver and Danny Glover, is strong enough to warrant this a little bit of attention.

Beyond the Lights opens November 14th.


Beyond The Lights Official Trailer #2 (2014) - Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Minnie Driver Movie HD by MovieTampan

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Trailer for Ensemble Dramedy 'About Alex' with Aubrey Plaza, Jason Ritter, Jane Levy, and More

There must be an unwritten rule somewhere that every indie ensemble that looks vaguely like The Big Chill must have Jason Ritter involved. It's not necessarily a bad thing and he's certainly found his niche in the genre, something he talked about in my interview with him for The Big Ask, and he's got another such film on the way in About Alex.

Ritter stars alongside Nate Parker, Aubrey Plaza, Jane Levy, Max Greenfield, Max Minghella, and Maggie Grace in the dramedy that marks the directorial debut of writer Jesse Zwick. Here's the official synopsis although I'm guessing you can probably figure what this one's about because all of these movies deal with the same issues reflected by the current generation...

In ABOUT ALEX, a circle of twenty-something friends reunite for a weekend away after one of them suffers an emotional breakdown. Despite the group’s best efforts to keep it light and enjoy themselves, a tinderbox of old jealousies, unrequited love, and widening political differences leads to an explosion that, coupled with the flammable combination of drugs, wine, and risotto, cannot be contained. An honest appraisal of adult friendship for our current social media moment, ABOUT ALEX is a lighthearted look at the struggles of a generation that has it all – and wants more.

About Alex hits VOD and theaters August 8th, and along with the trailer here's also a new clip.

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Review: 'Non-Stop' Starring Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore

Ever since Liam Neeson sorta ditched being a serious dramatic actor in favor of playing a grizzled old bad-ass in Taken, it's been hard not to begin every critique referencing the actioner. And for very good reason, as every film has Neeson sinking further into his tough guy persona in variations of the Taken model: "Taken with wolves" (The Grey), "Taken with amnesia"(Unknown), and now it's Taken on the friendly skies with Non-Stop, which reunites Neeson with Unknown director Jaume Collet-Serra.

"Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride", one character says to Neeson's character fairly early on in the film, and it might as well be plastered on the posters, too. This is the sort of creaky action flick that practically begs the audience to ignore the many plot contrivances and sketchy genre tropes, and just have fun watching Neeson beat up bad guys at 30,000 feet. And that would be perfectly fine if Non-Stop lived up to its title with never-ending cheesy thrills, but there's not enough action to distract from a plot that never takes off.

Neeson plays federal air marshal Bill Marks, and when we first meet him he looks like he's been going to the same school as Denzel Washington's character in Flight. He's a chain-smoking drunkard who has just gulped down some liquid courage before waltzing past security to make his flight, where he'll presumably protect all of the passengers on board. In his undercover role he has brief, occasionally testy encounters with those on board, but since he stopped to help the angelic little girl flying alone we know he also has a heart of mush. Julianne Moore plays a chatty woman who maneuvers her way into a window seat next to him and proceeds to help calm his jittery nerves.

But jittery nerves are soon the least of his worries as he begins receiving ominous text messages on a secure network line. The anonymous sender threatens to kill someone on the plane every 20 minutes unless a massive sum of money is transferred into an account. As the bodies start piling up, everybody turns into a suspect, and anybody of vaguely foreign heritage or even the tiniest accent is a potential villain. It's probably a good idea to keep an eye on the talkative chick with the red hair. The red herrings are thrown out as haphazardly as the twists and turns, which never make a lick of sense.  There's some fun to be had with Neeson's increasingly frazzled performance as Marks goes from hero splashed all over the news as a terrorist, and of course his bosses don't believe a word he has to say in defense. Cue up the fighter plans hoping to prevent a potential 9/11 terrorist scenario!

And speaking of 9/11, the film makes an extremely ill-advised connection to the tragedy that can't be elaborated upon here for fear of spoiling key plot points. But suffice it to say it's an issue that is way too complex for a movie like this to handle and the half-baked way it's treated is rather insulting. What keeps the film marginally entertaining is the cast, who all seem to recognize exactly what kind of movie they're taking part in. Neeson is surrounded by a vibrant and very game supporting cast, led by Moore who seems to be relishing her role as Marks' mysteriously over-eager new friend. Nate Parker, Corey Stoll, Scoot McNairy, and Michelle Dockery play their parts as possible suspects nicely, but it's distracting to see Oscar-nominee Lupita Nyong'o here with barely a word to say.

Collet-Serra has a nice rapport going with Neeson, which may be why they've already got a third pairing on the way. The director makes good use of space, taking advantage of the claustrophobic atmosphere for the rare displays of violence. If Wesley Snipes taught us anything in Passenger 57 (besides always betting on black!), it's that fighting in an airplane aisle is a real pain, and it's even worse in the bathroom. He shows a real eye for choreography with some dazzling sequences that keep this mostly single-set film from becoming stagnant visually.  Inconsistent pacing becomes an issue, probably due to the army of screenwriters trying to wedge in as many clichés as possible. A film like Non-Stop was never going to be perfect, but it should stick the landing and be exciting in the process. Non-Stop hits turbulence early on and never truly levels out, making for one bumpy ride.

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Review: 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' Starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck

NOTE: This is a reprint of my earlier review from the Sundance Film Festival.

David Lowery has been around a long time, but chances are you've never heard of him. A multi-hyphenate who has done practically everything in the filmmaking business, his previous features, including 2009's Texas-set St. Nick, came and went without registering much of a blip, and deservedly so. But with his white-hot, layered outlaw romance Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Lowery stakes his claim as a director just now hitting his stride creatively.

With a dark, storybook mood set firmly in the mode of Terrence Malick's Badlands, or perhaps even Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James, Lowery flips the Bonnie & Clyde paradigm on its ear. Rooney Mara, venturing as far away from Lisbeth Salander as imaginable, plays Ruth Guthrie, a Texas woman with a deep Southern twang and a deep love for Bob Muldoon(Casey Affleck). From the very first, elegantly framed scene, Lowery establishes their bond as the two are embroiled in a passionate argument, which comes to an abrupt end once Bob learns she's pregnant. The two make up an outlaw pair, and after a robbery they find themselves in a bloody shoot out with the cops, leading to the death of a member of their gang. Also shot in the melee is cop Patrick Wheeler(Ben Foster), and when all the dust has settled, Ruth and Bob are taken in with him taking the fall.

With Ruth set free mostly due to her pregnancy, four years pass with Bob writing her a letter from prison every single day. Sentenced to 25 years, he vows to one day return to her and their daughter, attempting escape five times before finally succeeding on the sixth. In the meanwhile, Patrick has begun sniffing around Ruth, feeling an empathic closeness to the woman many perceive as being duped into a life of crime. But Ruth is no saint. She's first and foremost a survivor, recognizing that the same forces that drew her to Bob all those years ago are the same ones that must keep him away from her and their daughter.

Daniel Hart's rousing fiddle and handclap-laden score signals a coming reckoning, as Bob seeks to reclaim the family he already lost once. While violence is mostly kept to a minimum, when it happens it's quick and brutal, captured in dusty and dimly-lit landscapes that harken back to the old West. While Lowery keeps the narrative straight-forward and linear, the scope of his vision is grand and lyrical, bringing a timeless quality. Bob's narrow focus gets a bit more complicated with the interference of Skerritt(Keith Carradine), Ruth's friend and guardian who has helped her build a life over the years. As Bob's circuitous route leads closer to Texas, Skerritt goes to dangerous lengths to keep him away, while at the same time Patrick and Ruth have become even closer.

It's not a stretch to say that both Mara and Affleck give career best performances here. While we only see them together for a few minutes, their romantic moments are memorable and heartfelt, carrying through as the film's true driving force. But it may be Ben Foster who is the real scene stealer, proving once and for all he can be a leading man who smolders as much as any other. Always a screen chameleon of sorts, his turn as the gentle and curious Patrick is especially impressive when compared to his other Sundance performance as famed beatnik William Burroughs in Kill Your Darlings.

At only about 90 minutes in length, Lowery packs a lot of story without ever taking a harried approach. In fact, there are times when perhaps he's a bit too casual, especially when stepping away from Bob's quest or Ruth's struggles. For all the slow dread Lowery teases us with, we never quite get the bloodthirsty showdown we were all expecting. While anticlimactic only in that regard, Lowery more than makes up for it with an intense and emotionally draining climax that feels natural to this particular story and these characters. It will be interesting to see how it gets marketed, but they may want to start by proclaiming Ain't Them Bodies Saints one of the most impressive films to emerge out of Sundance. With its cast and director all but poised for greatness, we may be talking about it for a very long time.

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Beautiful trailer for festival hit 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' with Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck

The term "Malick-esque" has been getting thrown around a lot recently, especially in regards to a handful of films making their way through the festival circuit. One film that quickly earned the label, and is perhaps more deserving of it than others, was David Lowery's gorgeous, poetic Ain't Them Bodies Saints. Debuting at Sundance to rave reviews before moving to Cannes for similar treatment, the build to its eventual summer release is here with the release of its first trailer.

All all-around excellent cast is led by Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck as Ruth and Bob, lovers on a crime spree who are apprehended after he is injured in a shootout. Pregnant and alone, Ruth begins to build a different life for herself while Bob sits in prison. Four years later, he escapes and sets out to be reunited with the woman he loves, and to meet the child he's never met. Along the way he runs into some old acquaintances, including an old friend played brilliantly by Nate Parker. Ben Foster gives a smoldering performance as an earnest cop who begins a casual flirtation with Ruth, offering her a glimpse at what her life could be.

It's certainly a film that struck a chord with me, calling it "grand and lyrical" with a "timeless" quality. One look at the trailer and it's easy to understand the comparisons to Terrence Malick's Badlands, but the film stands capably on its own.

Ain't Them Bodies Saints hits theaters on August 16th. You can check out my review here.
 

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Sundance Review: 'Ain't Them Bodies Saints' starring Rooney Mara and Casey Affleck

David Lowery has been around a long time, but chances are you've never heard of him. A multi-hyphenate who has done practically everything in the filmmaking business, his previous features, including 2009's Texas-set St. Nick, came and went without registering much of a blip, and deservedly so. But with his white-hot, layered outlaw romance Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Lowery stakes his claim as a director just now hitting his stride creatively.

With a dark, storybook mood set firmly in the mode of Terrence Malick's Badlands, or perhaps even Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James, Lowery flips the Bonnie & Clyde paradime on its ear. Rooney Mara, venturing as far away from Lisbeth Salander as imaginable, plays Ruth Guthrie, a Texas woman with a deep Southern twang and a deep love for Bob Muldoon(Casey Affleck). From the very first, elegantly framed scene, Lowery establishes their bond as the two are embroiled in a passionate argument, which comes to an abrupt end once Bob learns she's pregnant. The two make up an outlaw pair, and after a robbery they find themselves in a bloody shoot out with the cops, leading to the death of a member of their gang. Also shot in the melee is cop Patrick Wheeler(Ben Foster), and when all the dust has settled, Ruth and Bob are taken in with him taking the fall.

With Ruth set free mostly due to her pregnancy, four years pass with Bob writing her a letter from prison every single day. Sentenced to 25 years, he vows to one day return to her and their daughter, attempting escape five times before finally succeeding on the sixth. In the meanwhile, Patrick has begun sniffing around Ruth, feeling a empathic closeness to the woman many perceive as being duped into a life of crime. But Ruth is no saint. She's first and foremost a survivor, recognizing that the same forces that drew her to Bob all those years ago are the same ones that must keep him away from her and their daughter.

Daniel Hart's rousing fiddle and handclap-laden score signals a coming reckoning, as Bob seeks to reclaim the family he already lost once. While violence is mostly kept to a minimum, when it happens it's quick and brutal, captured in dusty and dimly-lit landscapes that harken back to the old West. While Lowery keeps the narrative straight-forward and linear, the scope of his vision is grand and lyrical, bringing a timeless quality. Bob's narrow focus gets a bit more complicated with the interference of Skerritt(Keith Carradine), Ruth's friend and guardian who has helped her build a life over the years. As Bob's circuitous route leads closer to Texas, Skerritt goes to dangerous lengths to keep him away, while at the same time Patrick and Ruth have become even closer.

It's not a stretch to say that both Mara and Affleck give career best performances here. While we only see them together for a few minutes, their romantic moments are memorable and heartfelt, carrying through as the film's true driving force. But it may be Ben Foster who is the real scene stealer, proving once and for all he can be a leading man who smolders as much as any other. Always a screen chameleon of sorts, his turn as the gentle and curious Patrick is especially impressive when compared to his other Sundance performance as famed beatnik William Burroughs in Kill Your Darlings.

At only about 90 minutes in length, Lowery packs a lot of story without ever taking a harried approach. In fact, there are times when perhaps he's a bit too casual, especially when stepping away from Bob's quest or Ruth's struggles. For all the slow dread Lowery teases us with, we never quite get the bloodthirsty showdown we were all expecting. While anticlimactic only in that regard, Lowery more than makes up for it with an intense and emotionally draining climax that feels natural to this particular story and these characters. It will be interesting to see how it gets marketed, but they may want to start by proclaiming Ain't Them Bodies Saints one of the most impressive films to emerge out of Sundance. With its cast and director all but poised for greatness, we may be talking about it for a very long time.

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Nate Parker out, James Ransone in for Spike Lee's 'Oldboy' remake

Currently appearing in a scene-stealing role as the earnest(read: pestering) police officer in Scott Derrickson's horror hit, Sinister, James Ransone will next move on to Spike Lee's remake of Oldboy. He'll be taking over for the departing Nate Parker, who ran into some scheduling conflicts with his role in Non-Stop starring Liam Neeson.

It's a move that makes sense, considering Lee worked with Ransone on his last mainstream work-for-hire, Inside Man. Oldboy is a remake of Park Chan-Wook's revered South Korean vengeance thriller that follows a man who seeks revenge after being held captive in a hotel room by an unknown captor.  Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley, and Samuel L. Jackson star, with Ransone playing a doctor who works alongside Olsen's character.

Filming on Oldboy should begin soon, for release next year.

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Nate Parker reteams with Spike Lee for his 'Oldboy' remake

Nate Parker is truly a star on the rise, and many are recognizing that with his look and early career trajectory, the 32-year old actor is eerily reminiscent of a young Denzel Washington. The two actually starred together in The Great Debaters, which Washington directed. This year has been the best for him so far, performing well in the otherwise horrible Red Tails, and he was also one of the few bright spots in Spike Lee's divisive Red Hook Summer. Now as Spike Lee gears up for his remake of the South Korean vengeance tale, Oldboy, Parker is in talks to come along for the ride.

Without giving away too much, because Oldboy is a film with a lot of wild twists, the story involves a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned on the night of his daughter's birthday, locked away for fifteen years without any explanation. Just as suddenly he is released, and immediately seeks revenge on those who held him captive. Josh Brolin is set for the lead role, with Sharlto Copley, Elisabeth Olsen, and Samuel L. Jackson also part of the cast. Parker would play a doctor and associate of Olsen's character.

Parker will be seen next in the Richard Gere financial thriller, Arbitrage, due out later this month. Oldboy begins filming in October for a likely release in 2013. [Variety]

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