Sony Pictures Classics has quite a few irons in the fire this season, as usual. There is the Cannes trio of Michael Haneke’s “Amour,” Jacques Audiard’s “Rust and Bone” and Pablo Larraín’s “No.” There is the recently acquired “At Any Price” from Ramin Bahrani. There are Sundance hits “Smashed,” from James Ponsoldt, and “West of Memphis,” from Amy Berg. And now, there is Robert Redford.
The movie star/director’s latest, “The Company You Keep,” is part of the slate of films announced for Toronto and Venice. It features a spectacular cast, including Redford, Shia LeBeouf, Julie Christie, Brendon Gleeson, Terrence Howard, Richard Jenkins, Anna Kendrick, Stanley Tucci, Nick Nolte, Chris Cooper, Susan Sarandon and Brit Marling. With Sony Classics’ just-announced acquisition of the title, I wonder if we might see the film pop up at Telluride first? They always come to Colorado with plenty to show.
According to the press release, “The Company You Keep” is “a thriller centered on a former Weather Underground activist who goes on the run from a journalist who has discovered his identity.” The release calls it “classic storytelling at its best.”
That’s kind of the sweet spot I’ve been hoping to see Redford get back to lately. His last couple of films, “The Conspirator” and “Lions for Lambs,” though commendable in part, seemed to just miss the mark. But this is a stellar line-up of talent Redford has assembled here, so perhaps it will be something special.
“The Company You Keep” will play out of competition at the Venice and Toronto film festivals next month. No release date has been set.