Just a few weeks before Christmas, we got a bucket list chance to speak with director Phillip Noyce about his latest film. For almost fifty years Noyce has worked on every aspect of filmmaking (writing, acting, cinematography, rigging) and the result of all that experience is his ability to capture the audience and bring us right into the story.
Noyce has given us stunning, remarkable and indelible characters who are on the run from something – their agencies, their enemies/friends or even themselves – and these stories about Jack Ryan, Simon Templar and several others resonate with audiences years, even decades later. The reason? Well, in the words of Mr. Noyce himself, they all are uncertain of their own mortality. You have tangible stakes and a level of uncertainty that is far from the worlds of James Bond, Ethan Hunt and Jason Bourne.
Today we get to dive into a similar character who is not sure if the next step will be his last. He’s not a good guy or even an anti-hero type, and this adaption of Victor Gischler‘s novel “Gun Monkeys”, written by Richard Wenk (The Equalizer and The Mechanic), stars Pierce Brosnan, Morena Baccarin, and James Caan who are all stuck in the criminal stew set in the Deep South. Styled in a way that combines smarts with some very dangerous bullets (similar to Layer Cake in a way), Fast Charlie is right in Noyce’s lane.
The esteemed director/producer is able to give it a tasteful presentation and execution which is fitting in a film about a character who, aside from being a handy “fixer”, is also equally skilled in the kitchen. Enjoy this podcast episode with Phillip Noyce!
Charlie Swift (Pierce Brosnan), aka “Fast Charlie,” is a fixer with a problem: the target he’s whacked is missing his head. And he must prove it’s the intended target to the man who paid for the hit – New Orleans’ most prominent and most ruthless mobster, Beggar Mercado (Gbenga Akinnagbe). Charlie enlists Marcie Kramer (Morena Baccarin), the victim’s ex-wife and a woman with the backbone and skillset Charlie needs. Dragging Marcie back into a past she was determined to escape sends the two of them on a wild and unpredictable odyssey that’s unexpectedly amusing, action propelled, and ultimately heartfelt. Along the way, Charlie and Marcie fight to protect the legacy of Charlie’s best friend and mentor, Stan Mullen (James Caan in his final performance), while bringing down Beggar and his entire operation.
In Select Theaters and On Demand December 8, 2023
