I will admit freely that I have a crush on Susan Sarandon. Seeing her in THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW did all kinds of things to my when I was young. Then, as a teen, seeing her in BULL DURHAM, WHITE PALACE, and THE HUNGER cemented it. Even in recent years, she has held up very well in the looks department and is still a quality actress to boot.
This week we have two new trailers featuring Ms. Sarandon in supporting, yet significant roles. She may not necessarily be the top billed star anymore but she certainly can act like one.
First up is ROBOT & FRANK starring Frank Langella, Liv Tyler, Peter Saarsgard, James Marsden, and Sarandon.
Plot: Set in the near future, Frank, a retired cat burglar, has two grown kids who are concerned he can no longer live alone. They are tempted to place him in a nursing home until Frank’s son chooses a different option: against the old man’s wishes, he buys Frank a walking, talking humanoid robot programmed to improve his physical and mental health. What follows is an often hilarious and somewhat heartbreaking story about finding friends and family in the most unexpected places.
Finally, a heartwarming science fiction heist movie! Langella can certainly still bring it as an actor. I am interested to check this one out.
The other film is the polar opposite of ROBOT & FRANK in terms of tone but both share the common plot point of money being the root of all evil.
ARBITRAGE stars Richard Gere, Brit Marling, Laetitia Casta, Tim Roth, and Sarandon. Her role is much larger in this film and she looks just as good.
Plot: ARBITRAGE, the feature-directing debut of writer Nicholas Jarecki, is a taut and alluring suspense thriller about love, loyalty, and high finance. When we first meet New York hedge-fund magnate Robert Miller (Richard Gere) on the eve of his 60th birthday, he appears the very portrait of success in American business and family life. But behind the gilded walls of his mansion, Miller is in over his head, desperately trying to complete the sale of his trading empire to a major bank before the depths of his fraud are revealed. Struggling to conceal his duplicity from loyal wife Ellen (Susan Sarandon) and brilliant daughter and heir-apparent Brooke (Brit Marling), Miller’s also balancing an affair with French art-dealer Julie Cote (Laetetia Casta). Just as he’s about to unload his troubled empire, an unexpected bloody error forces him to juggle family, business, and crime with the aid of Jimmy Grant (Nate Parker), a face from Miller’s past. One wrong turn ignites the suspicions of NYPD Detective Michael Bryer (Tim Roth), who will stop at nothing in his pursuits. Running on borrowed time, Miller is forced to confront the limits of even his own moral duplicity. Will he make it out before the bubble bursts?
Both are strong films with excellent casts. I am looking forward to seeing both of these movies when they are released. ROBOT & FRANK hits theaters on August 24th while ARBITRAGE opens on September 14th (on VOD on the same date).