Jeff Daniels can swing between being comedic and dramatic, and in his new Showtime series, American Rust, he’s decidedly the latter. The chameleon-like Dumb and Dumber and Pleasantville actor is the latest star to take on a complicated cop role after Kate Winslet’s turn in Mare of Easttown. And notably, Bridges’ new role is also set in Pennsylvania and unravels a murder, this time in a Rust Belt town where he struggles to make the right move, in a town overstuffed with people making the wrong moves.
American Rust is based upon Philipp Meyers’ acclaimed novel of the same name and follows the decaying of the American Dream. Daniels plays the police chief, who’s in love with a mother played by Maura Tierney (recently seen in Your Honor alongside Bryan Cranston, a judge who struggled and failed to do the right thing — boy, these roles are popular). Moral ambiguity abounds, and fires explode multiple times in this trailer, which is also heavy on the gloomy atmosphere. This feels like a great show in which to get lost while focusing on other people’s problems. From the synopsis:
AMERICAN RUST is a compelling family drama and a timeless story of wanting a brighter future while being held prisoner by the past. The story of survival and transcendence is told through the eyes of Del Harris (Daniels), the complicated and compromised chief of police of a Pennsylvania Rust Belt town full of good people making bad choices. When news of a murder rips through the town, Harris must decide what lengths he is willing to take to protect the son of the woman he loves (Tierney).
Showtime’s American Rust will debut on September 12.
