Paul Dano is no stranger to taking gigs of mentally unstable characters, and it has become some sort of a running joke among fans. However, not everyone one of these projects initially allured the actor, as The Batman Star was hesitant about joining forces with Denis Villeneuve.
Denis Villeneuve has never shied away from tackling the dark and unnerving tones in his movies and pushed the boundaries with his 2013’s Prisoners, starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Paul Dano. But Dano had his doubts heading into the project, as he wasn’t sure if the film would do justice to the heavy subject matter it was dealing with.
Paul Dano Was Unsure About Joining Denis Villeneuve’s Prisoners
Unlike other Hollywood thrillers on this scale, there’s no satisfaction of revenge in the story of Prisoners, which revolved around the abduction of Keller’s (played by Hugh Jackman) daughter. And the gritty story witnessed actor Paul Dano in the role of Alex Jones, an intellectually disabled man, a prime suspect behind Keller’s daughter’s disappearance.
But considering the film was tackling the matter of child abduction, Dano feared the movie might use this serious subject matter as a cheap thrill, further elevating his hesitancy to take the gig.
“The initial reaction is, well, should one, does one want to go through this? And truthfully, I wasn’t sure, because really it’s about what kind of film the director wants to make and how he wants to treat the subject matter, and are we really going to explore what these people are going through, or is it just going to be used for sort of child abduction for a cheap thrill,” he said.
Fortunately for the Little Miss Sunshine Star, the man behind the wheel, Denis Villeneuve, turned out to be the perfect person for the job.
Paul Dano Did the Right Thing by Trusting Denis Villeneuve
Although there were high risks involved for the crew members, considering the film revolved around such a sensitive topic, trusting Denis Villeneuve with his vision paid off for Paul Dano. Even though this material on the wrong heads could’ve gone south, Villeneuve’s expertise in dealing with such gritty premises ensured the film’s success. Dano explained,
“Luckily, we had a good group of actors and a really wonderful director who I felt, and we felt, that we could trust… we’ll get to make a film that does the subject matter some justice in terms of treating it seriously, not just using it for thrills but actually exploring.”
Prisoners might be a disturbing viewing for fans, as it focuses on the dark underbelly of polite society, but it does succeed in leaving a resounding impact on the viewer’s mind. And like always, Dano doesn’t pull back any punches, delivering an intense performance as Alex Jones, whose cruel twist further makes the movie more bleak than it already was.
Prisoners is available to stream on Netflix.
Source: Tribute Movies
