Maybe it’s because you started out making horror films, but there’s this inherent sense of dread that’s threaded into many of the scenes here. Early on, we see a toy gun and a few minutes later there’s a gruesome death sequence.
Jaume Collet-Sera: That’s my sick sense of humor (laughs). There is a definite sense of destiny. I think any movie should have that or find that at some point. Once the elements are in motion, you should be watching something that is meant to happen and that’s not random. So, yes. As people who are intuitive can sometime foreshadow and foretell that something bad is going to happen, we can give you clues before something is about to happen, and I like to play with that.
While you were promoting Non-Stop, you talked about working with Joel Silver several times because it’s rare to find collaborators who you can trust with your vision. I would assume that’s factored into why you’ve chosen to work with Liam so many times.
Jaume Collet-Sera: You keep working with people that you have a good time with. My vision ultimately has to be understood by the audience. There’s the ones that if they go see the movie and they see it on DVD or iTunes and it gets a great response, then we’re doing something right.
It’s so tough to make a movie that you want to keep working with the people that see movies the same way as you do. I think Joel and Liam definitely see movies very similarly in that we like to take the audience for a ride. Even if Run All Night is a bit more about the characters because there’s more time to explore them than in Non-Stop, it’s still a ride.
The same movie from the perspective of a different group could have been very different. It could have been less fast-paced. I’m not saying that’s right or wrong, I’m just saying that’s an interesting thing to bring to the table.
The phone call between Liam and Ed Harris midway through the film plays out in a pretty unconventional way. It’s eerily calm and they’re actually in a place where they both understand each other, but you know they’re going to wage war.
Jaume Collet-Sera: From Ed Harris’ perspective, he has been waiting for that call. He has definitely thought of the possibility that his kid would end up dead and that’s what he’s been trying to avoid for most of his life. If you’re a mafia guy who has done things that you don’t want to affect your kids, you try to move on and go legit, but you know that at some point something bad may happen.
As for Liam’s side of the call, he’s a hitman that has killed many people and he knows his friend and he knows that he isn’t just going to run away. He’s going to face the situation. That’s why the scene has another level.
A lot of the casting, Joel Kinnaman for instance, seems to be based on other roles they’ve done. Joel’s work on The Killing shares some aspects of his role in this film.
Jaume Collet-Sera: We were very lucky with Joel because when you’re casting Liam Neeson’s son you have to have someone who has a lot of presence and skills as an actor, and Joel is perfect for that.
Do you sometimes scout actors for your next project, maybe consciously or not, by watching shows and films?
Jaume Collet-Sera: Of course. I watch everything. I’ll also go to the theater. When I did Non-Stop, I went to a lot of plays here in NY to look for actors.
Joel I knew personally and we had committed to working together because we respect one another so much. I just thought that I’d never get him because he’s so busy. TV actors are typically only available for four months out of the year.
Casting directors help a lot in making you aware of younger, interesting actors for supporting characters. They’ll give you shows and things to watch. But I watch everything, so usually everyone is on my radar.
That concludes our interview, but we’d like to thank Jaume very much for his time. Be sure to check out Run All Night, as it’s now in theatres.