Mr. Robot star Rami Malek’s fame has risen at a meteoric rate. After turning heads with eye-catching performances in The Master and Short Time 12, he’s cemented himself in the popular consciousness with his iconic super-intelligent hacker in the aforementioned show. Now, with an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series under his belt, he’s graduated to starring roles in films. Our first taste of him as a leading man on the big screen comes courtesy of Sarah Adina Smith’s Buster’s Mal Heart, due to be released next month and with a new trailer out today.
The film is a darkly comedic, mysterious thriller about a weird hermit on the run from the authorities, surviving by burgling and occupying unused vacation homes. Despite his physical isolation, he’s become a mainstay on call-in radio shows, with the hosts giving him the nickname ‘Buster.’
On the radio, he lays out his wild delusions and conspiracy theories, outlining his belief in an apocalyptic Inversion at the year 2000 while being haunted by surreal visions and fractured memories. The story follows him as he stays one step ahead of the cops, moving between houses and trying to keep himself sheltered, fed and (relatively) sane. It’s supposed to be a visceral experience that, according to the studio will “turn your world upside down.”
Having premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to generally positive reviews, critics assure us that fans of Mr. Robot will find much to like in Buster’s Mal Heart, which exploits Malek’s innate charisma as well as continuing the show’s delusionary paranoia.
