After starring in the emotionally enduring film The Fault Under Our Stars and the highly profitable Divergent series, Ansel Elgort faced universal acclaim for his role in Baby Driver, receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy. In Baby Driver, he shows off all his best qualities. He’s charming, emotionally striking, and he holds his own against the likes of Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, and Kevin Spacey. His talent is unquestionable and he exudes a naturally swooning charisma that makes him all the more likable, drawing you deeper into his performances.
His upcoming film Jonathan, helmed by Bill Oliver in his directorial debut, seeks to use Elgort’s all-encompassing skills in the dissociative identity disorder thriller. Jonathan and John are two personalities that inhabit the same body (played by Elgort) in what the film describes as “single body multi-consciousness.” Jonathan lives during the day while John takes over at night, and they communicate with each other daily through video messages. However, things take an interesting twist as one of the personalities starts to break their previously established rules, leading to a mysterious cat and mouse game between one person.
Watch the trailer for the movie below.
The trailer presents many dramatic and eerie moments from Elgort as his character traverses mystery, trickery, and betrayal. If Elgort’s career up to this point has been defined by films from the drama, rom-com, and coming-of-age genres, expect this new sci-fi movie to spice up his filmography with an exciting, dark performance. In an early review from the Tribeca Film Festival, Variety’s Dennis Harvey praises Elgort’s performance as two distinct characters:
“It’s a testament to Elgort’s understated yet distinct dual performances that before we fully grasp John/Jonathan’s circumstance (just one-quarter in), we’re not even sure we’re watching the same actor — though cosmetically there’s little differentiation beyond how the brothers comb their hair”
Unlike fellow young actors Timothée Chalamet and Lucas Hedges, apart from Baby Driver, Elgort hasn’t really broken into the separate Hollywood world of high pedigree awards films. Both Chalamet and Hedges have received Academy Awards nominations for their performances in Call Me By Your Name and Manchester by the Sea, respectively, and are looking forward to another busy awards season this fall.
Of course, Elgort may be called to a different path in Hollywood, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but the Academy Awards are the highest level of recognition in the film industry and he certainly has talent that matches both Chalamet and Hedges. It would be a shame if he didn’t make movements toward their paths. Jonathan may not be the film that breaks Elgort into the awards world, but it may be the film that showcases a dramatic side that the Oscars love so dearly. From the trailer and early film festival reviews, Jonathan’s eerie vibe and dramatic platform certainly look like a step in the right direction for Elgort as he continues to build his filmography and develop his career.
Jonathan is set to release later this fall on November 16th.
Related Topics: Ansel Elgort, Trailers
