Though fans waited a far too long nine years for Lynne Ramsay to follow up "Morvern Callar," she more than met expectations (and surpassed them) when she dropped "We Need To Talk About Kevin" last year. And she shows no sign of letting that long of a span go by between films again. This year has seen two projects come together for the helmer, with her sci-fi take on "Moby Dick," titled "Mobius," getting financing last month, and of course her brewing western with Michael Fassbender and Natalie Portman, "Jane Got A Gun." But this past summer, you may have missed Ramsay dropping a new short film.
Indeed, as part of the many events around the London Olympics, filmmakers including Mike Leigh, Asif Kapadia and more were commissioned to create short films (you can watch the trailer for all of them here). And among them was Ramsay who delivered the "The Swimmer," a black and white film following the titular athlete navigating Britain's waterways. While we wait for some kind of official release, Academy Films have dropped an excerpt online, which you can check out below.
Hopefully that's enough to hold you for now, but not to fear, Ramsay is gearing up "Jane Got A Gun" to shoot early next year. And an official plot synopsis (via Flicks And Bits) stokes excitement even further, as it points towards one gritty as hell genre piece.
Young and pretty with a soul of pure steel, Jane Hammond (Natalie Portman) is a good girl married to one of the worst baddies in town. When her husband Bill turns against his own gang, the vicious Bishop Boys, and returns home barely alive with eight bullets in his back, Jane knows it’s time to ditch the dress for a pair of pants and strap on her own gun. As the relentless leader John Bishop gears up for revenge, Jane’s best hope for her family’s survival rests with her old love Dan Frost (Michael Fassbender) – a gunslinger whose hatred for Bill is only slightly overshadowed by his love for Jane. Together Jane and Dan spring clever traps, luring Bishop’s men to certain death just as their old feelings for each other resurface amidst the flying bullets.
With director Lynne Ramsay (WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT KEVIN, MORVERN CALLAR) at the helm, the rich dimensions of these characters find their best ally with Jane out in front, taking her fate into her own hands with the kind of bravado legends are made of.
It seems there is still one more big role to cast — that of baddie John Bishop — and we'll be eager to see who signs up to square off against Fassy and Portman. Suggestions? Let us know in the comments section.
