Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Green try to kill each other in their new action-thriller, Just Play Dead. Directed by 007 director Martin Campbell, the film follows wealthy criminal Jack Wolfe ( Jackson) as he tries to fake his death to elude the feds. However, Jack’s wife Nora (Green) intends to actually kill him and walk away with the life insurance money.
In an interview with Digital Trends, Campbell and screenwriter Dan Gordon discussed how they came up with Just Stay Dead, why Jackson and Green were perfect for the film, and what audiences can expect from this darkly comedic thriller.
This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
Digital Trends: So Dan, what was the inspiration for the story of Just Play Dead?
Gordon: Just Play Dead is probably the only thing I’ve ever written that was made up out of whole cloth. Usually I do things that have some sort of historical background or some kernel of truth.
I was on vacation with my then-girlfriend in Hawaii. And we had chartered a boat, and I looked up at a cliff, and there was a mansion on the cliff that was obviously owned by someone very wealthy. But there was also something kind of creepy about it. And I said, “You know, that’s a great location for a movie.” I just didn’t know what the story would be there.
And I had known a guy who was a very wicked man. Truly a wicked man. And I thought, “What if he lived in that mansion?” And then I just started playing with the idea of who could he be and who could he be married to. And that’s how it came about.
And I’d always wanted to do a film noir. And then I thought, “Well, maybe do this as a kind of Coen Brothers-esque film noir comedy. Really dark comedy. And it was just pure fun writing it, just…absolute pure fun. I wrote it first as a novel, and then I adapted the novel as a screenplay.
Digital Trends: Amazing. What specific movies inspired you while developing the film? I’d like to hear both of your thoughts on that.
Gordon: You know…I really was a big fan of film noir of the 1930s and 1940s. Postman Always Rings Twice, Double Indemnity, all those [films]…that Sterling Hayden would star in, or Robert Mitchum, Veronica Lake…Nora Wolfe is sort of a combination in my own mind of Lauren Bacall and Veronica Lake. It was just taking those archetypes and saying, “Have some fun with them.”
Digital Trends: Cool. And Martin…did any other specific films influence your style in directing the movie?
Campbell: I don’t think anything influenced the style…I remember The Sting, for example, which has a slight tongue-in-cheek atmosphere to it. I remember that, and also Ocean’s Eleven had that kind of sense of humor.
So really…it was what was important in the movie. To get the tone of it right. Just get that balance. I mean, they’re all a little bit larger than life, obviously, in the movie, but it was really to get the sense of humor. To get the characters, because none of them have any kind of redemption.
They’re all trying to knock each other off. They’re all trying to get the money. They have no intention of giving the money to each other and have no intention of sticking to the original agreement. Everything else. So, you know, and of course, chaos happened.
Digital Trends: Yeah. And…you got us a couple of larger-than-life actors leading the cast. You’ve got Samuel L Jackson and Eva Green leading the film. What was it like collaborating with them both on this film?
Campbell: Well, first of all, I’ve worked with them both before, so I know them both. They’re both perfect casting…they’re both fine actors, and Sam always has this twinkle in his eye. There’s always a quality of mischief with Sam. You’ll always slightly unbalance with him as his character is throughout the piece.
Eva, of course, is…First of all, she’s a fantastic actress. Secondly, she has a great sense of humor. And thirdly, it was a great part for her. It was very Veronica Lake, as Dan says. Very much in keeping with those noir kind of comedies, the comedy thrillers, if you will, back in the 1940s.
Digital Trends: And now, Martin, you’ve directed many classic action movies throughout your career, particularly the James Bond films GoldenEye and Casino Royale. And you also did The Mask of Zorro. Based on this experience, how did you approach creating the action and thrills of Just Play Dead?
Campbell: Well, there’s not as much action, clearly, in Just Play Dead as there is in Bond, if you see what I mean. It’s not that. It’s much more to do with the characters, the relationships, and equally, the plot.
So, first of all, I had a damn good script…. Dan wrote a terrific script and a very funny script. And, for me, probably in terms of action, it does have action, but not nearly as much as I’m normally used to, which is, by the way, one of the reasons for doing the movie.
Digital Trends: So were there any big challenges while developing this movie?
Campbell: Dan and I worked together for quite a while on it. Just getting it finally into shape, which he did, which is great. And we shot in the Canary Islands. And being independent, of course, it was a tight budget and a tight schedule.
And, luckily, I had actors who were terrific, and we got through it on schedule and on budget. And as I said, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I really did. For me, it was very different from what I’ve done in the past, and a challenge. Actually, shooting it was a dream. No problems at all. The Canary Islands is a very beautiful place to shoot. So no complaints from me.
Gordon: And if I could butt in, the collaboration with Martin and with the producer, Moshe Diamant, has absolutely been the most joyous collaboration of my career….I don’t get along terribly well with directors, and this was the exact opposite.
There was just no ego on anyone’s part. It was every note that Martin gave, and Martin gives a lot of little notes, tiny things. And at the time, you think, God, these are microbial; they’re really small. But then you realize all those little things add up to creating a really wonderful script.
And, absolutely every note that Martin gave made the picture better. I’ve only experienced that, quite frankly…with Don Simpson, who was a great producer, and Don was the same way. Every note made the picture better. And so this has been a total joy to work with these two guys.
Digital Trends. Fantastic. It’s all really great to hear. So what are you most excited for audiences to see from this film? Is there a particular scene like that you love so much?
Campbell: It’s very simple. What I want them to do is really enjoy it. And come out having been entertained by the movie…it’s not saying anything. Just enjoy yourself. That’s it.
Digital Trends: Fantastic. Dan, what about you?
Gordon: Yeah, it’s just a fun movie. Honestly, it’s a romp, and it’s just a popcorn movie. I mean, it’s the kind of thing you want to sit back, get your popcorn, your Buncha Crunch, and just watch.
Digital Trends: All right. Sounds like a great time. And now, beyond Just Play Dead, what other projects are you both working on at the moment?
Campbell: Well, in fact, Dan’s written three of his projects, which I’m very excited about. I’m not going to go into the projects, but enough to say that they’re very different, each one, which I’m excited about and will certainly be filming before the end of the year.
Gordon: Yeah. And if I never have to work with anyone other than Martin and Mosha, I will be very, very happy.
Just Play Dead is now playing in select theaters and will arrive on digital platforms on September 1.
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