Tag: Rupert Wyatt

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in The Escapist

Ever since I first saw In the Name of the Father with the ever brilliant Daniel Day-Lewis in college, I’ve been fascinated by Kilmainham Gaol. This old prison is an important part of Irish history—many Irish rebel leaders were locked up and executed there. It’s also a famous movie location, used in some of the best films about Ireland’s past. So when I finally got the chance to visit the museum during Damian’s mini-tour, I was beyond excited. I was also proud that I knew almost all the movies our guide mentioned: In the Name of the Father, Michael Collins, The Wind That Shakes the Barley, and of course—The Escapist. So shall we talk about that one?

Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in The Escapist”

Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in The Escapist

“You know the one thing you’ve got going for you, Frank? You’re too old to die young.” – Rizza

source: superiorpics.com
source: superiorpics.com

Today we travel back to Damian Lewis in The Escapist: An Ireland-UK co-produced ensemble piece directed by Rupert Wyatt. The film premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival to critical applause.

The Escapist premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, source: Getty Images
The Escapist premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, source: Getty Images

The Escapist is a prison escape movie. But not your typical prison escape movie. It is a healthy combination of an action movie and an art house movie giving you the grim prison life. You feel the brutality. You feel the daily presence of threat. You, in fact, live the violence without even seeing it. You feel very disturbed by the place.

Frank Perry (a BRILLIANT Brian Cox for whom it turns out Rupert Wyatt wrote this role!) is in prison for life and he has made his peace with the fact that he will never see outside life again… Until he gets a letter, the first one in 14 years, that his beloved daughter is a drug addict and, following an episode of overdose, she is critically ill. This makes Frank to think about escaping. He plans his escape with fellow prisoners Lenny Drake (Joe Fiennes, a Guildhall class mate of Damian’s!), Brodie (Liam Cunningham), Batista (Seu Jorge) and Lacey (Dominic Cooper). These five “good guys” make the movie poster. Continue reading “Throwback Thursday to Damian Lewis in The Escapist”