Following the releases ofThe Hurt LockerandZero Dark Thirty, surely two of the best American films in recent memory, there seemed to be a sense that the unparalleledKathryn Bigelowsuddenly became a political director. There was a sense that films as clearly beholden to genre asPoint Break,Blue Steel,Near Dark, andStrange Dayscould not also be vibrantly, even viciously political because they didn’t deal directly with political or societal events. And yet,Point Breakdeals with the complexities of the masculine hero as much asThe Hurt Locker, andBlue Steelbrings similarly startling thoughts of being a female in a classically male profession asZero Dark Thirty. All of Bigelow’s films are political; in fact, all films are political, by nature. Still, there’s no denying that her next movie, based on the five-day Detroit riots of 1967, openly reflects timely societal concerns, and today, Bigelow added three major actors to the
Still, there’s no denying that her next movie, based on the five-day Detroit riots of 1967, openly reflects timely societal concerns, and today, Bigelow added three major actors to the drama:Jack Reynorof the recentSing Street,Ben O’TooleofMel Gibson’s upcomingHacksaw Ridge, andWill Poulter, who was set to play Pennywise in the new adaptation ofStephen King’sItuntil recently. It’s unclear right now how they will figure into the movie, but my hunch says that at least two of them will be playing police officers. We’ll have to wait to get any real kind of confirmation, as this film is still very much in the early stages. Annapurna is footing the bill right now and starting to seek a distributor, which I imagine won’t take all that long considering Bigelow’s Oscar-friendly history. She certainly has a good cast going so far. Reynor and Poulter have both proven to be dramatically engaging in a number of projects, and though I’ve only seen him in the not-so-sufferableThe Water Diviner, O’Toole certainly has a quality that makes you want to keep your eyes peeled.
