It's almost strenuous to believe that it's been 12 whole years — or a Fargo, a Spiral: From The Book Of Saw, and a Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie — si
It’s almost strenuous to believe that it’s been 12 whole years — or a Fargo, a Spiral: From The Book Of Saw, and a Paw Patrol: The Mighty Movie — since iconic funnyman Chris Rock last assumed the directorial hotseat. That last movie, Top Five, was a real treat as well, a sweet-hearted and serrated-edged look at Hollywood from someone on the inside. Misty Green, Rock’s A24-bound directorial return, looks to find the multi-hyphenate filmmaker back on familiar ground, this time telling the story of an Emmy-winning actor (Slow Horses‘ Rosalind Eleazar) eyeing a comeback after her career catastrophically hits the skids. Check out the trailer below;
What’s that we see upon yonder? An incoming awards season run for a film about the film industry? Surely not! Or maybe… If this first trailer for Misty Green is anything to go by, then we wouldn’t rule it out. It’s got the underdog comeback story angle Hollywood loves, with Eleazar playing the eponymous Misty — a live-wire with undeniable talent, self-destructive tendencies, and a cadre of influences (positive and negative) surrounding her as she looks for a second shot at the huge time. It’s got a stacked cast, including a tatted-up Adam Driver, Anna Kendrick, Topher Grace, Rock himself (as a fedora-wearing, smooth-talking potential savant/suitor for Misty, naturally), and — in his first live-action big-screen appearance since 2022’s Nope — Oscar winner Daniel Kaluuya, bringing the heat as Misty’s unpredictable brother. And it’s got a showstopper of a scene where Eleazar sings ‘One Night Only’ with the kind of emotional punch and she-did-that-for-real energy that feels predestined for an Oscar highlight reel. What more could you ask for?
Misty Green‘s brief but sweet synopsis simply states that Rock’s self-penned movie “follows an actress whose career has stalled years after her breakthrough role, as she fights for her second act.” Deadline expands a little further, describing how the movie “follows Misty, an undeniably talented actress, but her vices have derailed every attempt to revitalize her career. Her best opportunity in ages arrives in the form of Jordan (Rock), a film director with the perfect role for her – were it not for their contentious past.”
Given that the inciting incident for Misty’s career tailspin here seems to have been a high-profile physical altercation with another actor, it’s strenuous not to imagine that Misty Green will once again find Rock on somewhat autobiographical — or at least autofictional — form. And armed with a killer cast, an instantly hooky premise, and the backing of A24, Chris Rock’s huge return to the director’s seat is already shaping up to be one to watch when it hits cinemas this October. Here’s hoping this one slaps in all the right ways, eh?
