When our very own Chris Bumbray saw THE D TRAIN back at Sundance in January
, he found it to be an effective, slick, and well made debut for writer-directors Jarrad Paul & Andrew Mogel. Now, with a theatrical release a couple months away, we have the first trailer for the film.
At first, THE D TRAIN comes across like the indie comedy work Jack Black has done in BERNIE rather than his broader roles. As it progresses, the trailer shows a heart that seems to have something special up it’s sleeve along with some solid performances from James Marsden, Jeffrey Tambor, and Katheryn Hahn.
All his life, Dan Landsman (Jack Black) has never been the cool guy. That’s about to change – if he can convince Oliver Lawless (Marsden), the most popular guy from his high school who’s now the face of a national Banana Boat ad campaign, to show up with him to their class reunion. A man on a mission, Dan travels from Pittsburgh to LA and spins a web of lies to recruit Lawless. But he gets more than he bargains for as the unpredictable Lawless proceeds to take over his home, career, and entire life. Showcasing Jack Black and James Marsden‘s most intoxicating performances to date, D TRAIN serves up the question: how far would you go to be popular?
Jack Black is a good actor when he wants to be and THE D TRAIN looks like a good use of his skills as a performer. This could very easily end up like another GROSSE POINTE BLANK or YOUNG ADULT, both of which have solid soundtracks and great retro sensibilities.
THE D TRAIN opens on May 8, 2015.