Cory Finley has directed three films so far: "Thoroughbreds" (2017), an underrated dark crime caper; "Bad Education," another crime film, this one set in a high school, which sadly went straight to HBO during the pandemic; and "Landscape with Invisible Hand," a bewildering indie sci-fi miss.
All this to say, Finley has set up his next film, a drama, with Paul Rudd and Sam Rockwell in the lead roles. The project will be taken to the TIFF market this weekend.
According to Deadline, "Reasonable People" is set in a contemporary suburban setting. The drama begins after a reckless car crash leaves an architect's teen daughter brain-damaged. The driver is the son of a wealthy developer, and the tragedy ignites a bitter war of revenge between fathers. It quickly spirals out of control and threatens to destroy both families. Rudd plays the architect and Rockwell plays his drifter brother, who shows up after the accident and escalates the stakes between the warring families.
The film is targeting a fall shoot, with no studio attached just yet — which is exactly what the TIFF market is for. There's real potential here. Finley has a knack for pitch-black material that veers into satire, and a story about two fathers tearing each other apart over tragedy sits squarely in his wheelhouse. Rockwell and Rudd in a movie also sounds great. If a buyer bites this weekend, this could be one to watch.
Marvel's "Ghost Rider" just hired one of the best cinematographers working today. Linus Sandgren will serve as DP on Shawn Levy's MCU flick, and, most notably, the project will be shot on film.