It’s been awhile since Winona Ryder, star of a vast array of films from “Edward Scissorhands” to “Girl Interrupted,” has really taken the lead in a picture – lately she’s mostly been a supporting player in films like “Black Swan,” “Star Trek,” and her upcoming reteaming with director Tim Burton on the stop-motion “Frankenweenie.” Unfortunately, if the trailer for her upcoming return to leading lady status “The Letter” is any indication of the film that follows, we’re not quite sure we’re ready to have her back.
In the film Ryder's cast as a playwright who is beginning to lose touch with reality for no discernible reason, all while her character Martine begins to fall for the mysterious Tyrone (James Franco), which may or may not have anything to do with why she’s mentally unraveling. It seems like a convoluted mess, and looks like it was shot as a student short film (oh wait, director Jay Anania is a prof at NYU film school…) – which would be fine if it weren’t attempting to sell us a psychological thriller with two Academy Award-nominated leads.
The film looks set to debut on VOD, with Josh Hamilton (“J. Edgar”), Marin Ireland (“28 Hotel Rooms”) and Katherine Waterston (“Being Flynn”) also in the mix. You can check out the ultra-low production values in the trailer below. [Collider]