Please welcome new contributor Patrick Ball...
Jodie Comer in "The Last Duel"
One of the more anticipated fall releases, Ridley Scott’s The Last Duel finally got a trailer. A medieval swords n’ beards tale, it boasts the first joint screenplay from Matt Damon and Ben Affleck since their Oscar winning effort on Good Will Hunting (1997), this time joined by Nicole Holofcener. Starring Matt and Ben, Adam Driver (having yet another big year with this and Annette and House of Gucci) and Killing Eve breakout Jodie Comer, let’s raise the drawbridge on another installment of Yes No Maybe So...
YES
-The opening off-screen dialogue initially sounded kind of like Christoph Waltz and if this film is secretly narrated by an uncredited Christoph Waltz, I am IN.
- Jodie. Comer. In her first major theatrical dramatic lead since her Emmy win in 2019, Jodie looks to transfer her considerable spark from the small screen to the big, even while sporting pearl-adorned Princess Lea buns and constant turtleneck. The trailer begins and ends with her, and if the film does center her character’s perspective and provides her some degree of agency, that coupled with her unique blend of vulnerability and gravitas certainly makes me feel better about the uh… old fashioned nature of its plot.
- The best part is this short courtyard scene where Comer more than holds her own with Damon in a dramatic moment while two fabulous Renaissance Fair types look on. Look at that fur SCARF! (TFE does not endorse fur)
- Alway nice to see Zjelko Ivanek on screen.
- Production Design looks to be handsome and expansive and it has the feel of something epic in nature. If they can make what could otherwise be a more intimate drama feel like a character focused cinematic event, it really could fit in as a welcome part of the return of “big” films after a low-key year in the wake of Covid scheduling pushbacks.
NO
-When initial photos from the set were released, the internet certainly had something to say about the *wild* hair and makeup on the men, and honestly, Affleck and Damon both look distractingly insane. With Damon sporting an Alabama Friar Tuck hairstyle and Affleck serving medieval Mugatu drag, it does take quite a suspension of disbelief to take them seriously. We’ll see how it plays in context of the film as a whole, but I did not expect to see both Bennifer 2.0 and Affleck with platinum blonde bangs in one year.
- I know this is a film from the director of Gladiator, but for some reason I wasn’t expecting it to feel like an action epic? For a film called The Last Duel, the trailer makes it feel like The Last Seven or Eight Duels.
MAYBE SO
-It’s going to be a lot for me to get past the idea of modern day film whose premise is a man’s quest for revenge for the alleged sexual assault of his wife, but again, the trailer’s focus on Comer’s character and framing of her emotional journey as the focus of the film goes a long way towards making it feel more interesting. A moment is included referencing the gender power dynamics of the time and I hope to see more of that in the DNA of the film. I’m fascinated to see how Holofcener’s sensibility asserts itself in the screenplay and how balanced the narrative and spectacle feel.
- The accent work doesn’t thrill me, but rarely does it ever in a trailer. The vibe feels like it’s leaning towards realism, how will the movie juggle style and substance?
Overall, what I think this film has up its sleeve is major curiosity factor. I am really interested to see another Mattfleck screenplay, how they work with Holefcener, and how the film adds to the narratives of everyone involved since they're having busy years. I think the trailer is effective in keeping that curiosity piqued and it should be interesting to see how the film is marketed. So... I'm a yes. How about you?
The Last Duel opens in theaters on October 15th.