USA: Film star Tom Cruise debuts his new political thriller film "Lions for Lambs" at AFI screening in Hollywood along with co-star Meryl Streep and Director Robert Redford

Record ID: 219713

  • Title: USA: Film star Tom Cruise debuts his new political thriller film "Lions for Lambs" at AFI screening in Hollywood along with co-star Meryl Streep and Director Robert Redford
  • Date: 8th November 2007
  • Summary: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 01, 2007) (REUTERS) ACTOR TOM CRUISE GREETING FANS AT AFI PREMIERE OF "LIONS FOR LAMBS" VARIOUS OF THE RED CARPET ACTRESS MERYL STREEP, ACTOR AND "LIONS FOR LAMBS" DIRECTOR ROBERT REDFORD, AND ACTOR WILL SMITH ON THE RED CARPET
  • Embargoed: 23rd November 2007 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Usa
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAECMCAM5G47ISG32EPGHVL2RD9
  • Story Text: "Lions for Lambs," Hollywood's most recent take on U.S. foreign policy and the military fallout from the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, kicks off the American Film Institute's annual festival in Los Angeles, with the film's stars Tom Cruise, Meryl Streep and Robert Redford in attendance. The film, directed by Redford, weaves together what at first seems three disparate story lines, with a view to taking a more critical look at the sacrifice of U.S. soldiers, the relationship between politics and the media, and the need for young Americans to take a stand. The film follows recent pictures like "Rendition" and "In the Valley of Elah," both of which take a critical stance of US foreign policy, however, those films haven't performed well at the box office considering the strong public opposition to the Iraq war.
    "I mean, I don't know, I haven't seen them, so I really don't know, I know there are very talented people making those pictures," says Cruise, "and I think for me, and the way this film is, it's already a success, I think that it's a picture that I believed in, that I wanted to make, to be able to work with Redford and Streep on this subject matter."
    Cruise plays an up-and-coming Republican senator trying to sell an "exclusive" about Washington's new strategy in the war in Afghanistan to a television journalist, played by Meryl Streep. Meanwhile in California, Robert Redford, who directed the film, is a university professor confronting a gifted but lazy student to shake him out of political apathy.
    Thousands of miles away, in Afghanistan, two U.S. soldiers who used to be Redford's students are part of a small advance group sent out into the mountains to fight the Taliban.
    Cruise, who researched thoroughly for his role as a US politician, also says he's been paying close attention to the presidential debates in the United States, looking for the best possible person for the job.
    "I'm still like every other citizen watching, paying attention and looking at it for who I think is going to come out, that's what I'm doing, I'm trying to read and pay attention and really get past everything to see who that person is and really what it is they represent," says Cruise. When asked whether he thinks gender should play a factor in the race, given the strong possibility that Hillary Clinton could be the first female president, he adds, "I don't think race, gender, religion, I think it's who is going to be the next president, who is going to represent this country in the best way, and I think that's what I'm looking at."
    Early reviews praised Cruise's performance as the politician mixing personal ambition with a real belief in America's role as a force for good.
    Cruise, who showed up more than an hour early on the red carpet later on Tuesday to sign autographs and speak with the press, is also an executive producer of the film after having taken over Universal Artists. Redford, who famously played alongside Dustin Hoffman as one of the two journalists who uncovered the Watergate scandal, made only a fleeting appearance and posed for few photographs before quickly disappearing inside, as did Meryl Streep. Also in attendance at the film's screening was actor Will Smith and Footballer David Beckham. The film is due to open in U.S. cinemas on November 9.
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