There have been a slew of negative reviews heaped on filmmaker Paul Haggis’ ambitious drama Third Person, but if you’re a fan of his intricately and labyrinthine structured narratives, this movie may be up your alley. Maria Bello is Theresa an attorney who represents a woman (an intentionally unhinged Mila Kunis) who’s desperately trying to regain visitation rights for her son.
On the outside, Theresa seemingly has everything together, but due to the loss of her own child, life will never be the same (to say the very least). Channeling Theresa’s inner struggles wasn’t a huge reach for Bello, as evidenced by her heartbreaking work with Michael Sheen in the 2010 feature Beautiful Boy. But real life also plays a part in an actor’s craft, and Bello’s own experience as a mother enabled her to empathize with Therasa’s unfathomable pain.
Although Bello joked at the Third Person press conference that she agreed to do the movie because Paul Haggis promised her a case of red wine, levity is few and far between in the drama. Tackling such weighty subjects as artistic integrity, parental love, and loss doesn’t offer much room for humor (although laughter at a press conference is always welcome).
Click on the media bar below to hear the actress talk about the aspects of love that is explored in Third Person:
It was also announced this week that the actress signed on to Big Driver, a Lifetime feature based on a novella by Stephen King. The plotline centers on a mystery writer (Bello) who seeks vengeance against a serial killer (Will Harris) who left her for dead with his other victims. Shooting starts this summer in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
This isn’t Bello’s first foray into King territory, as she starred with Johnny Depp, John Turturro, and Timothy Hutton in the highly underrated suspense thriller Secret Window. The flick contains one of Depp’s most eerie characterizations to date. Be warned, however; if you are a huge fan of eating corn, Secret Window may alter your culinary appetites.
Big Driver premieres this fall on Lifetime, and Third Person is now playing in select theaters.
Co-starring Liam Neeson, Olivia Wilde, Adrien Brody, and James Franco, Third Person clocks in at 136 minutes, but I was completely immersed with Haggis’ story, so boredom never entered the equation.
If you’ve seen Third Person, tell me what you think and feel free to comment below!
