Exclusive Interview: Talk ‘N Shop with Safe Director Boaz Yakin (Part 1 of 2)

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Since starting the JoBlo.com Talk ‘n Shop interviews, we’ve enjoyed the experience of hanging out at the coolest record store in Hollywood (Amoeba’s!!). And when I had the opportunity to check out the latest from director Boaz Yakin – the Jason Statham action flick SAFE – it seemed a great opportunity to return. However with it being National Record Store Day this past weekend, we decided to make a trip to America’s favorite diner, Denny’s before actually getting to shop for music and movies… that doesn’t mean that movies didn’t come up!

Boaz Yakin has taken on a variety of different genres. He was one of the producers behind HOSTEL. He wrote and directed the well received independent films FRESH and A PRICE ABOVE RUBIES. He also scripted PRINCE OF PERSIA. And recently, he put everything he had into making the indie feature DEATH IN LOVE. Now he is bringing gritty action back onto the big screen with the help of Jason Statham. A little variety wouldn’t you say?

Once Boaz arrived at Denny’s, we sat down to a bowl of chicken noodle soup and we started chatting about SAFE. In what seemed tailor made for Statham, I was surprised to find that Boaz hadn’t written the part for the action star. It was an especially interesting conversation for me as we had the chance to talk about inspirations for the film (more of that in the second part of this two-part interview), some of which I am a fan of as well. From the casting of Catherine Chan, to directing this type of movie, I found this writer/director to be incredible smart and an all around terrific guy.

I really enjoyed SAFE which opens this Friday at a theatre near you. It was an exciting movie-going experience that didn’t disappoint and that can be credited to Mr. Yakin. If you are a fan of Statham, this is a no-brainer as you’ll have a great time.

“I thought I was going to have to sell my apartment in NY and then the day after I ran out of money, my first checks for having produced the HOSTEL films came in and saved me, so I was like ‘Thank you Eli, thank Hostel’ for saving my f*ckin’ ass!”