As new Palmer joins Apple TV +, Danielle de Wolfe talks to director Fisher Stevens and star Justin Timberlake to find out more.
When it comes to cinematic calls, repurchase stories give you an interesting perspective.
Coming to Apple TV + on January 29, Palmer offers feature length as an exception.
Directed by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens, best known for his on-screen roles in Damages and Success, Palmer tells the story of how one fell from grace and the journey that rises as he tries to rebuild his life.
“I wanted to do something small, intimate, personal and emotional and do something for a lower budget that I can call the pictures and get my people around me,” says Stevens, 57, of the project.
“There was something about the veracity of the script and I felt like I could prove a documentary for this story.”
Located in Louisiana, in the heart of Deep South America, convicted felon Eddie Palmer, played by Justin Timberlake, returns to live with Vivian, the grandmother he raised, after to be released after a 12-year prison sentence.
Transforming the freedom of the outside world, Palmer tries to get his life back on track despite continued criticism from the local village community and living under the constant shadow of the previous glory days as a football player.
“Justin said he grew up with people who were star athletes who ended up just falling out of grace,” continues Stevens. “That idea of a second chance was so appealing to us to be throwing light on him and he was so fond of that element of it. ”
The story, however, takes its toll when Vivian’s neighbor, Shelly, played by Juno Temple, abandoned her seven-year-old son for drugs, leaving Palmer charged with child custody for a time .
Every inch of a discovery story, Palmer gets his glimpse of his challenge with seven-year-old Sam, played by Ryder Allen, who suffers from the hands of bullies for his effective pastimes. . ”[Justin and I] they both have young sons and I don’t think we could have made this film before we had children, ”said Stevens.
“I read the script right after Trump was elected and I thought ‘I don’t know America. I don’t know my country. I need to get out of my bubble ‘- and this is a great way to do that.’ ‘.
“I was related to him – my nephew Max, at seven, was very much like Sam, playing with dolls, wearing dresses, just with girls.” He was one of the most met children. me ever and I thought, wow, thank God my sister and her husband were so supportive. ”
However, the initial stages of the project were simply straightforward, as Stevens explains. “It wasn’t easy to do this but it was worth it.” We had a false start about a year before. We didn’t sign anyone but we had one or two in our minds and it fell apart.
“It wasn’t until I was doing a documentary with Leonardo DiCaprio and his manager read the script and they praised Justin and I was like, ‘perfect! ‘. “He’s from the south, he knows this world. And anyway, then it took a while; he was on tour and I had to talk to him between cities and work on the script with him a bit.
“As soon as Justin got on board all the systems went.” Originally from the state of Tennessee, Timberlake, 39, is a stranger to the big screen. Formerly a star as an entrepreneur Sean Parker in David Fincher’s Social Network and lent his voice to the 2016 animated film Trolls, the combination of southern construction, acting experience and personal experience was a big hit for his father. wearing.
“As the father of a four-year-old boy, I was very emotional,” Timberlake recalled. “Fisher and I talked a lot about having young sons. That’s one of the reasons we both wanted to make this film at this point.
“It just felt like a very special story, a story that needs to be told, about the idea of repurchase and acceptance and how love can break down very strong barriers.” A story of transformation that results from both love and sharing. experience, Palmer’s on-screen transformation is both uplifting and eye-opening for audiences.
“He comes home to find out that everything is different,” said Timberlake of his character. “As soon as he accepts Sam for who he is, which is not easy for him, he comes to be a story about two men who don’t answer properly.
“My character sees that he can make a difference in this child’s life, and in doing so, he begins to heal himself. ”
The main themes of mentoring and metamorphosis are as much a part of the fabric of this film as it depicts judgment and study in 21st century America.
It is a project that addresses traditional preconceptions of gender identity – a topic that the director is still proud to share.
“Look, America has almost gone backwards – whether you want to talk about race relations, whether you want to talk about any civil rights, gay rights. We were so far away from this – I don’t even want to talk about it, ”said Fisher with a sigh.
“It’s unbelievable that we are still as critical as humans, as humans.” A beautiful thing in the script I’ve always liked is that his mother – who has captured meth crystals, is a mother horrible, disappearing for weeks on end – the same thing she gave Sam
there was a remarkable sense of self-esteem.
“It simply came to our notice then. She gave that strength to the boy. “So, yes, it’s a film about healing, it’s a film about unity, it’s a film about compassion.” Palmer is available for broadcast on Apple TV +.
