In his second feature, William Monahan turns to the gritty outskirts of Los Angeles in this thoughtful deconstruction of the film industry. Thomas is a talented artist with suicidal tendencies who ventures into the Mojave desert in search of deeper meaning in his shallow existence. When he runs into a simple yet threatening drifter, Thomas’ life is thrown off course. A man who rose to fame by defining reality with his own words, Thomas must snap from his depressive rut to keep his family, his home, and the world as he knows it in balance.

Bringing the audience from the desert outskirts to Hollywood hills, Monahan craftily bridges the two worlds in this uninhibited thriller; a delirious trip laced with humor and violence, where hero and villain collide for a wildly entertaining and smart ride. Starring Oscar Isaac and Garrett Hedlund.

—Genna Terranova

Directed by

William Monahan