In anticipation of the Tribeca Film Festival, the first-looks keep moving along. Let’s
start with new photos from “Greetings from Tim Buckley,” the quasi-look at the life
of singer Jeff Buckley as he performs a concert for his father, Tim. The film, directed
by Daniel Algrant, and starring Penn Badgley and Imogen Poots, will be getting its U.S.
premiere in the Narrative category at Tribeca.
Here’s the synopsis:
“Like father, like son” is a demanding expression for someone who never knew his dad.
When young Jeff Buckley (Penn Badgley) is asked to participate in a tribute concert for
his late musician father Tim, music opens his eyes to the artistic legacy that he is destined
to follow. Imogen Poots co-stars in this quiet and powerful tribute to those legends
sustained by admiration, love and, in this case, beautiful music.
When “Greetings from Tim Buckley” played the Toronto International Film Festival in September, Playlist writer Kevin Jagernauth praised Badgley’s performance as “solid” in a movie that felt uneven throughout. Buckley continues to be a cult favorite in music,
but a movie that isn’t necessarily about him could confuse audiences; especially considering there’s a few other Jeff Buckley biopics swirling around. Regardless, this
appears to be an interesting take on the material, and a strong body of work to propel
Badgley to A-list stardom.
Coming up next is a glimpse into the film “Trust Me,” starring Clark Gregg (who also
wrote and directed), Sam Rockwell, and William H. Macy. The film explores the morass
of Hollywood and how one big discovery can be the worst mistake ever made, and the
Hollywood agent who could lose everything. “Trust Me” will be making its world premiere in the
Narrative section.
Here’s the plot summary:
Trust Me follows flailing Hollywood agent Howard, who seemingly strikes gold after
signing the next big child star. What results is an unexpected ride through the nasty inner
workings of Hollywood, as Howard desperately tries to make it in an industry that has no
interest in recognizing his bumbling but ultimately genuine nature.
Hollywood insider stories can be hit or miss. With Clark Gregg at the helm, this could
be closer to Robert Altman’s classic take on Hollywood, “The Player“…or not. Gregg has directed
and written before, with the underrated Sam Rockwell sex addiction comedy, “Choke.” “Trust Me” has the
potential to be a smart Hollywood satire, directed by a man who’s found acclaim in the
ultimate popcorn picture, so we’ll be curious to see what his take on the industry is.
Last is a look at Thomas Haden Church, Marc Labreche and Vincent Hoss-Desmarais in “Whitewash.” The movie is directed by Emanuel Hoss-Desmarais, making his feature-film
debut. The movie follows a man (Church) trying to get through the winter. He believes
he’s discovered love, but death and other serious events befall him, leaving him to figure
out how to escape the consequences. “Whitewash” will make its world premiere in the
Narrative category.
The plot synopsis is below:
Bruce (Thomas Haden Church) is merely trying to survive a harsh winter when he meets
Jean. Conflict leads to an accidental death, and Bruce finds himself in a complicated and
unexpected place. Grappling with his guilt, Bruce creates a prison from which he cannot
escape. Haden Church perfectly utilizes his comic talent in this wry, well-crafted film.
Thomas Haden Church can make the most of any cinematic situation. While Hoss-Desmarais’
quality as a director has yet to be seen in a feature-length (he has prior experience in
shorts) format, the synopsis emphasizes the possibility of comedy in a romance/murder situation. The synopsis sounds intriguing, and Church usually delivers. The
Tribeca Film Festival runs April 17th through 28th.
