- Title: Joaquin Phoenix bludgeons Cannes with Lynne Ramsay hitman thriller
- Date: 27th May 2017
- Summary: CANNES, FRANCE (MAY 27, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** ACTOR JOAQUIN PHOENIX AND DIRECTOR LYNNE RAMSAY SITTING DOWN PHOENIX AND RAMSAY SEATED PEOPLE TAKING PHOTOS IN NEWS CONFERENCE PHOENIX SMILING (SOUNDBITE) (English) ACTOR JOAQUIN PHOENIX SAYING: "We wanted to get away from that idea of the male hero. Jim Wilson, the producer, would often describe it as the impotence of masculinity, so we've kind of established this character who seems very capable but in some ways, he's not - I think what's maybe what is interesting about this film for a genre film is that really the girl is ultimately the one who saves herself, it's not about man coming in and saving the girl."
- Embargoed: 10th June 2017 14:08
- Keywords: Lynne Ramsay You Were Never Really Here Joaquin Phoenix Cannes film festival
- Location: CANNES, FRANCE/ VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- City: CANNES, FRANCE/ VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: France
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment,Film,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0026IM5ETP
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:As a hired killer whose weapon of choice is a particular brand of hammer, Joaquin Phoenix delivered a short, sharp shock of a movie to close the Cannes Film Festival's main competition on Saturday (May 27).
"You Were Never Really Here" is a taut, bloody thriller from Scottish director Lynne Ramsay whose reputation is such that she was allowed to enter the movie for the Palme d'Or without showing the selection committee a finished version.
Ramsay, whose last movie, the high school massacre drama "We Need to Talk About Kevin", competed at Cannes in 2011, told reporters she was still editing "You Were Never Really Here", prompting one journalist to beg her not to cut too much from the 85-minute version shown to the media.
"I didn't want to bore you all at Cannes," said Ramsay whose movies all come in under 90 minutes.
The film has drawn comparisons with the Martin Scorsese classic "Taxi Driver" due to the moral ambiguity of Phoenix's Joe who, like Robert De Niro's Travis Bickle, is a psychologically damaged military veteran who tries to save a sexually abused girl.
With a reputation as one of Hollywood's most difficult stars when it comes to dealing with the media, Phoenix was remarkably forthcoming, thanking reporters for coming and staying on for autographs and selfies. During much of the news conference he placed a protective arm around Ramsay and rubbed her shoulders.
The Palme d'Or winner will be announced on Sunday (May 28) when the festival concludes. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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