Matthew McConaughey Goes Indie with a Tired-Sounding Premise

By  · Published on August 25th, 2010

It seems that if you’re going to do an indie film, the premise should be daring and new. Not, say, something that stands in as the filler plot for most Mid-life Crisis Guy Fixing His Life and His Family since Liar Liar and the 100 movies that came before it.

Matthew McConaughey may have gotten older, but his film’s premise stays the same age. He’s close to signing on for The Headhunter’s Calling ‐ a movie about a ruthless businessman who has already destroyed his family and his sense of ethics after years of corporate life. His evil ways will have to end (or hilariously keep going) when he finds out his oldest child has leukemia.

It’s high concept and nothing new, but the joy of indie film might be in doing something cliched like this with an innovative eye or fresh characters. Many disparage McConaughey’s acting skills, but the last time he was in an indie film, he created an iconic character. That’s not bad work. Still, it’s going to take a lot more than what’s presented here to raise any excitement for this thing ‐ like McConaughey launching a rapping career or something. [Pajiba]

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