You gotta admire John Sayles. An independent filmmaker long before today's current crop — or even the directors who rose up out of the '90s scene — his career has had its peaks and valleys, but over the past few years he's resolutely strived on, even if audiences and the industry haven't followed. His last couple pictures — the bluesy "Honeydripper" and the sorely underseen historical drama "Amigo" — came and went without much notice, but he's likely hoping the fates have better things in store for his next effort, "GO FOR SISTERS" (yes, all caps).
Set to premiere at SXSW next month, the first trailer for the movie has now arrived. Starring Edward James Olmos, Lisa Gay Hamilton, Yolonda Ross, Hector Elizondo, Harold Perrineau and Isaiah Washington, the film tells the story of two women who are so close they "go for sisters," who are reunited after twenty years thanks to some surprising circumstances. Here's the official synopsis:
Bernice Stokes and Fontayne Gamble grew up the closest of friends. After high school Bernice got into social services and corrections work, Fontayne just got into trouble. Twenty years later Bernice is assigned as parole officer for Fontayne– just released from prison and fighting a drug habit. But Bernice’s son Rodney, has gone missing on the Mexican border, his shady partners in hiding or brutally murdered. Fontayne, through a prison girlfriend, enlists Freddy Suárez, a disgraced, near-blind ex-LAPD detective once known as ‘the Terminator’, to help them find Rodney. Outlaws on a noble quest, they are lured into a potentially deadly cat-and-mouse game with mysterious Chinese smugglers.
Okay, so this isn't the best cut trailer in the world, and it practically screams that this was made for next to no money. But that being said, it looks like there is a compelling drama in here and Sayles' writing hasn't lost its power going on a few decades now, so we're cautiously optimistic. No distribution deals yet in place for this one, but hopefully there will be some movement soon. Watch below. [Shadow & Act]