Ridley Scott. Ron Howard. Kevin McDonald. James Mangold. Peter Weir. Michael Mann. John Polson. That’s the list of directors Russell Crowe has worked with in the last ten years. Is one of those names not like the others?
In 2006, Crowe completed nine days of filming in New York on a psychological thriller called “Tenderness.” Since then, the film has remained absent from all Lionsgate release schedules, and three years later, there is no release date in sight. The film has been buried so thoroughly that one source, who spoke of a summer ’08 press screening for the film, was stunned that it had not yet been released. Crowe stars as a policeman stalkling a teen who’s been released from prison, knowing the convicted killer will murder again. The film also stars Laura Dern and Jon Foster, a guy who’s had a helluva year in regards to movies no one wants to see, playing the lead in both “The Informers” and “The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh.” Director Polson is no stranger to turkeys, having helmed “Swimfan” and “Hide And Seek,” but it’s also an adaptation of an acclaimed novel from Robert Cormier.
A trailer for the UK release was quietly leaked online at AceShowbiz in January, but IMDB only lists a release date in Israel, though it did come out and was panned, in Crowe’s native Australia, fueling suspicion that Lionsgate is not eyeing a theatrical release in America. This happens a lot- notably earlier this year, when Mickey Rourke rode high off his buzz for “The Wrestler” as the thriller “Killshot” played to one weekend of empty auditoriums in Arizona. We can assume with no release date or press in place, “Tenderness” will see a release in fourth quarter 2009, certainly a black mark on Crowe’s current resume.
Unless… what if Lionsgate are cheeky bastards and want to benefit from the buzz from Crowe’s next film? Crowe’s had a rough go of it lately- “Body of Lies” and “State Of Play” were total box office nonstarters, and “A Good Year” was a flop. Execs were comforted enough by “American Gangster”‘s $100 million+ take to consider Crowe having enough clout to headline next summer’s Ridley Scott-directed “Robin Hood,” but that will be the truest test of his box office power since “Master And Commander,” which underperformed and, some feel, killed a potential franchise. Could Lionsgate be holding back on this potential stinker in order to benefit, and/or potentially sabotage, that long-in-development film? We’ve heard whispers of a DVD release later this summer, possibly August, but isn’t it possible this could be a springtime ’10 release? Even if the summer date is true, however (and with no official announcement, summertime seems overly optimistic), the film will have sat on the shelf for three years now.
Here’s a look at the trailer.