Our last interview we’re posting for the Zack Snyder film “Sucker Punch,” opening today, is with the two young women who ultimately represent the heart of the film.
I remember meeting Emily Browning for the first time at a screening in Austin, part of the Butt-numb-a-thon, where she and her co-star from “A Series Of Unfortunate Events” flew in for a post-film Q&A. She was so young, and they both seemed a little overwhelmed by the flight, the event, the film, and everything else. It feels to me like that happened two years ago, but that’s impossible. Looking at her in “Sucker Punch,” seeing how she’s dressed, how she conducts herself, how much she’s changed, it’s obviously been a while. I felt like I was already an old man at that initial meeting, and she was just a little kid, and now she’s an adult, undeniably, and that must make me very old. Disturbingly old. Like maybe I should go lie down somewhere so I don’t hurt myself old. Sheesh.
Sweet Pea, played by Abbie Cornish, is incredibly important to the way the film works, and because they couldn’t really explain that to us on set, I didn’t realize just what sort of role she might have in things. It’s no accident that Browning and Cornish were teamed for the press day, because their roles in the film are equally significant. Cornish has been turning in strong and interesting work in almost everything she’s done since “Somersault,” and I think it’s just a matter of time before she finds the role that really pushes her over the top. She has a strong bond with Jena Malone’s character, Rocket, who is Sweet Pea’s sister, but she also serves as the skeptic in the group, the one who wants to play it safe.
Physically, they’re an interesting contradiction. They’re both striking, certainly, but Browning is so petite she’s practically pocket-sized, while Cornish has an imposing physical presence. She’s substantial. But surface differences aside, all of the girls from this film seem to have made a real connection while working together, and it was nice to see them here at the finish line, excited by what they’ve made and happy to finally be able to explain it.
My review for “Sucker Punch” is available, and you can see the rest of the girls or Zack Snyder as well. “Sucker Punch” opened everywhere today in theaters and IMAX, and I’m curious to hear what you guys make of it if you go.