Gus Van Sant is back. After years of radio silence on the feature film front, the iconic filmmaker is set to return with “Dead Man’s Wire.”
The true crime thriller was a major surprise during this morning’s TIFF announcement; its “North American Premiere” also means it’ll also be having its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
Bill Skarsgård leads as Tony Kiritsis, a disgruntled Indiana man who, in 1977, wired a shotgun to his own body and to the head of a mortgage broker he believed had wronged him. He then walked the hostage through the streets of Indianapolis in what became a surreal, days-long standoff that captivated the country. The supporting cast includes Colman Domingo, Al Pacino, Dacre Montgomery (“Stranger Things”), Myha’la (“Industry”), and John Robinson.
This marks Van Sant’s first film in over six years. The late ‘80s and early 2000s were his peak, when he was arguably one of the most vital voices in American cinema. “Drugstore Cowboy,” “My Own Private Idaho,” “To Die For,” “Good Will Hunting,” and “Elephant” (which won the Palme d’Or in 2003) are undeniable.
But since “Milk” (2008), it’s been a rough run: “Restless” (2011) was mawkish and lightweight, “Promised Land” (2013) was a clunker, and “The Sea of Trees” (2015) got booed out of Cannes. His last one, “Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot” (2018), despite Joaquin Phoenix in the lead, couldn’t break through.
Earlier this year, Van Sant directed six episodes of “Feud: Capote vs The Swans,” which critics responded to favorably. It marked a small but notable return to form.
“Dead Man’s Wire” was originally set to be directed by Werner Herzog with Nicolas Cage in the lead — that version fell through. But now, with Van Sant directing, a sharp script, and Pacino back in serious mode, this thing is starting to look promising.