It’s raining Gerry! I wonder if the studios are planning this, but for some reason, both of Gerard Butler‘s upcoming movies are gearing up their marketing campaign in quick succession. Just a few days ago I posted the poster for this movie, but now we’ve got a trailer. It’s about time!
I’ve blogged about this movie many times before, but if this is the first time you’ve heard it, here’s the premise:
The film is inspired by the real-life preacher Sam Childers in his book Another Man’s War: The True Story of One Man’s Battle to Save Children in the Sudan, a former drug-dealing biker tough guy who found God and became a crusader hundreds of Sudanese children who’ve been kidnapped and pressed into duty as soldiers in the Lord’s Resistance Army (L.R.A.)
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Wow! Just wow! I’ve always known Butler can act regardless of his recent film choices and I think this film will prove his range. Despite the lack of resemblance to the real life preacher, Butler seems to embody his tough-as-nails persona. But this is a bad ass guy with heart and the trailer shows the emotional and spiritual side too, which is what I REALLY want to see in this film. I’m hopeful that Marc Forsters will deliver something as extraordinary as Childer’s story.
Butler is joined by an excellent cast of Kathy Baker, Madeline Carroll, Michelle Monaghan, Michael Shannon and Souleymane Sy Savane. You can read more about Childers on his official website. Oh man, I hope this will come to Minnesota when it opens in limited release on September 23!
Well, what do you think folks? Will you be seeing this one?
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Looks good, reminds me a little bit of Blood Diamond. Hopefully it won’t be as preachy as that film.
Interesting choice of word, Ted. After all, the subject matter is in fact, a preacher 😀 I’ve heard some people say that about the similarities to Blood Diamond, but I think this’ll be a completely different film. Was that one based on a true story too? I don’t believe it was.
Ha ha yeah, I didn’t even notice that when I typed it. No Blood Diamond wasn’t based on a real event, just the diamonds are facts. Leo’s character in that film was basically a greedy a-hole while Butler’s character in this film wants to save people.
Ahah, that’s ok, it made me laugh 😀 Well, so there’s a big difference right there. But Childers is no saint either, he’s got his own ‘demons’ he’s battling too, and I don’t think he ever paints himself as a hero.
“it’s raining Gerry!” hahaha!
Well, I hope he does a good job. I believe he will. You’ll still love him either way. I wonder how well this one will do in the box office.
He..he.. well I already used ‘when it rains it pours’ in the poster post so it seems to be a good extension to that, he..he.. I have faith that he’ll do a good job. I’ve seen him in other dramatic roles before and he pulls it off beautifully. I’m not expecting to see a huge box office take for this given the religious aspect, but then again, nobody ever predicted Passion of the Christ would go past $100 mil, let alone $360!
You’ve piqued my interest with being the first I have seen this trailer from. I’m going to consider it. It’s been awhile for Butler to be in a movie hasn’t it? I just remember 300, but nothing recent that was notable. Glad to see Michelle Monaghan in one so soon after Source Code
Hi Matthew, welcome to FC! Well, actually he was good in Rocknrolla and Law Abiding Citizen after he did 300, the rest like you said weren’t exactly notable (didn’t even want to watch Gamer). I do hope you give this one a chance, I think people are gonna be pleasantly surprised. Marc Forsters is a good director and the cast is great, I like Michelle in Source Code too. Thanks for stopping by.
I can see this is right up your street Ruth, for me, not so much.
Looks ok, but as Ted says the preachy side worries me!!
Also I hate it when Gerry does an American accent…feels so false!
I am sure it will be good though, it is Custard’s Law that when I dislike a trailer the film is generally good!!
Bummer… I hope you’d at least give it a fair shake, Scott. I understand some people are turned off by GB’s American accent, but there are some actors I tolerate for not pulling off accent work convincingly and he’s one of them 😀 As for the ‘preachy’ thing, as my friend Becky says to me, I think he will be “preaching” more through his actions than with words.
Every time you post on this film it just makes me want to see it a little more. I hope it isn’t too “preachy” but a good man blowing up baddies with a bazooka is always appealing to me.
As I said above about the ‘preachy’ part, Childers’ faith is what drives him to do what he’s doing, so I hope the film is faithful to the source. Glad the trailer convinces you more to see it, Louise.
Hi, Ruth and company:
I must admit that I kind of cheated and caught the trailer for ‘Machine Gun Preacher’ over at ScarlerSp1der’s site. Excellently executed sneak peek of the deep and layered role that Gerard Butler has been waiting for, deserves and will knock out of the park.
Hi Jack, hey it’s no cheating, we’re all friends here… Scarlet is one of my good buddies! 🙂 Thanks for your ever so positive words about this film, yes layered role is right, and I do believe he will knock it out of the park! Thanks for stopping by, your presence is always appreciated!
Had no idea that Michael Shannon was in this before I read this. Weird that he wasn’t featured in the trailer.
Yeah, I kept looking for him too. Well, I don’t know how big his role is but he plays Butler’s best friend. Hope he has a decent amount of screen time.
This looks decent, but I do hate Gerard’s accent work. He doesn’t pull off any American accents well at all. I’m intrigued by the story though.
Ahah, I’m sure you’re not the only one Markus. I know he’s not the best actor in terms of accent work but as I said to Scott, he’s one I’m willing to tolerate 🙂 I actually think he sounds fine here though, I think Ewan McGregor’s American accent is worse (he’s also a Scott) but I don’t mind that either as I like his acting. Glad you’re at least intrigued by the story, hope you’ll forget about his accent as you watch it 🙂
OMGoodness, awesome trailer! I didn’t see any preaching going on. I don’t see it as being a focus for the film, just a vehicle. GB is fantastic in this, I know it. Can’t wait!
I know, isn’t it? We both know he’s done dramatic work before so it’s nice to see him return to form. We gotta see this on opening night, Becky!
I’m glad Butler isn’t doing those horrible rom-coms anymore. Looks pretty good aside from the couple things I pointed out in my post last night. I realize it’s based on a supposedly true story but this trailer (and probably the movie) make The Blind Side a masterful work of subtlety.
I don’t mind Butler doing rom-com, just GOOD ones 😀 Well, you can say a lot of things about Childers but subtlety isn’t one of ’em. But why should he?? He’s tackling such a tragic, atrocious ‘war’ battling the LRA for the sake of those poor kids, so I don’t think subtlety with people like the LRAs will get you anywhere. I do think the bazooka scene at the end is a bit much though, but I’m sure it’s a marketing scheme as it’ll get people who wanna see Butler going all bad-ass again to the theater.
I also love Butler in romcoms! He should never stop making them for us who love love on film 🙂 And when it comes to MACHINE GUN PREACHER I liked it more than I thought I would 🙂
That’s right Dezzy, and no worries, one of his four upcoming movies (yes FOUR!) is a soccer rom-com, the one w/ Catherine Zeta Jones (your fave) and Uma Thurman. I’m looking forward to that, looks like fun.
Glad to hear you like the MGP trailer!
Nothing that a bazooka can’t fix!
If only that were true, Castor.
I might give this one a chance
😀
Ruth, i have to agree with Louise above: “Every time you post on this film it just makes me want to see it a little more.” 🙂
Butler’s accent doesn’t worry me, but that mullet in the beginning does. Apparently that goes away quickly 😉
when i see those 2 little words, “selected theatres”…it’s one of the only times i dislike living in Flyover Land. Possibly the best way for me to see it is to go to Toronto.
Ahah, well nobody looks good in a mullet! I think that’s what Childers had in his younger days, in his recent interviews his hair is more cropped and sans mullet (thank goodness!) GB looks a heck of a lot thinner and taller than the real guy though, but I suppose it’s the persona he embodies that’s more important, not just the physical appearance.
And yeah, bummer about the selected release. I might not be able to see it until at least a month later. I don’t have the resources to go to Toronto this year 😦
The mullet era was not a hairstyle high-water mark LOL I think he will embody the persona very well.
I can’t get to TIFF this year either. I’m 4 hrs away by car & have never been. My hubby’s a teacher, so getting away at that time of year is always tricky.
You’re only 4hrs away by car?? Oh wow, if only. But yeah, I guess timing is tricky too, even if the distance isn’t a problem. Well I hope one day you both can go, TIFF is great, I had a great time the one time I was there.
thanks Ruth, i hope so too 🙂
I wonder if my girlfriend would enjoy this.
Well if your girlfriend likes a heart-wrenching true story (plus a macho guy like Butler), I’d imagine she would 😀
YES! i’m so glad Butler is doing stuff like this for a change. I think he should stop doing those freakishly bad romcoms for the paycheck. With this and Coriolanus he’s back in the game. He’s manorexic now though which I don’t like…
Michelle M is so fing gorgeous..
I think he’s not the only one doing bad movies just for the paycheck. Even Colin Firth did quite a few of them before The King’s Speech, i.e. The Accidental Husband (6% on Rotten Tomatoes!) But yeah, his upcoming movies do look good.
Manorexic? Well he’s skinnier now but I don’t think he’s to the point of anorexia yet. I read somewhere that he’s dieting to play a surfer coach but maybe he’s going too far and becomes too skinny. I’m sure it’s only temporary.
And yeah, Michelle is gorgeous indeed. She has a nice smile.
I finally see the trailer…Looking forward to see it.Gerry is much better in this kind of movie than Rom-com.
Glad to hear, Novia. Not sure it’ll be released in Indo though considering the subject matter, but I sure hope it does. I think GB is great in P.S. I Love You, it’s just the other two that followed were dismal because of the script. I think people prefer him in action films but I actually like him more in dramatic roles.