Paul Haggis hasn’t been on the cinematic radar for a few years, but he makes his big return at TIFF 2013. The fact that this is his first release since his very public departure from the Church of Scientology may or may not factor in, but either way, it’s nice to see Haggis back in the fold after his less successful but, in my opinion, underrated The Next Three Days. Something about his directing doesn’t satisfy everyone, as evidenced by Crash and In the Valley of Elah, but there are plenty who find at least his writing style exciting and insightful. He’s the writer behind Million Dollar Baby, after all.
The cast of the film is impressive enough to intrigue any skeptics: James Franco and Mila Kunis play the two leads, while Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde and Adrien Brody star in supporting roles. What’s also interesting about the movie is that it was made outside of the Hollywood studios, apparently receiving financing from some kind Belgians, an unusual route for someone of Haggis’ clout and access, but again, possibly a result of his break from what is allegedly the most powerful religious institution in Hollywood. It has yet to secure an American distributor, so its world premiere at TIFF will be supremely important for Haggis if he’s to return to the top of the cinematic hill.
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