The only other film Foster has recently (in the last 20 years) directed is The Beaver (2011) where “a troubled husband and executive adopts a beaver hand-puppet as his sole means of communicating”. It was as bad as it sounds.
OK, so it’s early days for Foster’s directing career but here’s some unsolicited advice for Foster from someone who has never directed anything:
- Directing your friends (Mel Gibson in The Beaver, George Clooney in Money Monster) might make the film easier to direct but that’s not necessarily a good thing. A bit of friction between actors and the director can contribute creatively while actors you’re less familiar with can push your boundaries and broaden your experience.
- Even unreal situations need to pass the credibility test. Small things like how police really react to hostage situations or the motivation of your Icelandic hackers need to be addressed. Do your homework. Be real (as much as possible).
- Casting your minor actors is really important. If even one (or in this case more than one) of your lesser actors isn’t up to the job then it really stands out, especially when there are others around them doing a good job.
- Don’t think just because you’re a great actor that automatically makes you a great director. There are plenty of examples where that’s not the case. Johnny Depp, Nic Cage, Kevin Spacey, Eddie Murphy, William Shatner are just a few examples of actors who realised the error of their ways so returned to what they do best. Cut your losses.
Rating: Two many films.
