Phillip Noyce Talks ‘Fast Charlie’ And Filmmaking: “Necessity Is The Mother of Invention”

I have been a fan of Phillip Noyce since the 1989 release of Dead Calm. That feature put him on the map stateside, and over the years he has directed his share of blockbusters (Patriot Games, The Bone Collector, The Saint) and critically beloved features (The Quiet American, The Bone Collector). Noyce continues to challenge himself as a filmmaker, and Fast Charlie is a completely different movie from his previous efforts. Noyce talked to Deepest Dream about how Fast Charlie is more of a “romance” and a “character study” than a straight up action film.

Necessity is the mother of invention is a truism that applies to Fast Charlie. Several days before production, the financing fell through. That huge setback did not deter Phillip Noyce or screenwriter Richard Wenk. If you look at the movie’s IMDB, you will discover a slew of executive producers that helped fund the picture.

Based on Victor Gischler’s novel Gun Monkeys, Fast Charlie centers on the titular fixer (Pierce Brosnan) whose latest mission goes haywire. Morena Baccarin plays Marcie, a taxidermist who is the victim’s ex-wife and possible love interest for Charlie. Though this movie has its share of action, as well as a final performance from James Caan, Fast Charlie’s strengths lies in its vivid characterizations and humor.

If Noyce had a bigger budget, there would have been more action set pieces for Fast Charlie, but maybe then the movie would have lost some of its eccentric charm. The director talks about how the film’s budget impacted the storytelling in a positive fashion and he also reflects on a couple of his past movies (Rabbit Proof Fence, The Quiet American).

**I briefly review Fast Charlie on CinemAddicts. If you are a Pierce Brosnan and Philip Noyce fan, then this movie should be up your alley. It also has a ton of humor and can be labeled an action-comedy (with a bit of romance):

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“I started making films when I was 18 years old,” said Noyce. “I’ve never had another job. I don’t know any other existence. Other than waking up in the morning and thinking about stories and characters and connecting to audiences. I have a life. I have a family. But I dream at night about the movies that I’m about to make. That’s what keeps me going.”

Fast Charlie is now in theaters and available On Demand.

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