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Before they were attending the Oscars in 2025, Jesse Eisenbergand Adrien Brody crossed paths in one of the most viciously sinister cult movies of the last few years. Eisenberg plays Ralphie, a role that begins as an archetypical performance for the Academy Award-nominated screenwriter but descends into an unexpectedly chilling performance. Manodrome shows the power of influence and how toxic a herd mentality can be in an environment without balance and disagreement. Despite being stripped back in substance, the movie is rich in ideology and shows a modern-day cult that critiques a crisis of masculinity.

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are currently earning raves for their new film, A Real Pain, with the former also serving as the film's director. The pair showcase an easygoing chemistry in the film, playing mismatched cousins, and it looks like some of that chemistry started back in 2009 when Culkin auditioned for the great 2009 romantic comedy Adventureland. The actor didn't land a part in the film, but he left a lasting impression on Eisenberg when he got a bit touchy during the audition.

During an appearance on Late Night with Seth Meyers, Eisenberg shared the odd experience of meeting Culkin for the first time back when Kieran auditioned for a role in Adventureland. Eisenberg had already been cast in the movie as James Brennan, and Culkin was auditioning for a role that required the actor to punch Eisenberg in the testicles every five minutes. As the audition went on, let's...

You can pick your friends, but you can't pick your family. That's how the adage always went, at least until we started to expand our definition of family. Yes, the notion of a chosen clan is ever-growing in popularity, and it's being explored on the big screen in a variety of ways. There are darker explorations like the Jesse Eisenberg film Manodrome from earlier this year, and now, on a much lighter note, there's the quite obviously titled Chosen Family, a passion project from the always charming Heather Graham.

The last time we spoke to Graham, she was playing a gritty Western character trying to protect her daughter (in the film Place of Bones). This time around, her character Ann is trying in vain to connect with someone else's daughter, giving Chosen Family an uncomfortable comedic end result that might give certain millennials and Gen X'ers Ptsd based on their own past family woes.

Odessa Young is only 26, but she already has a truly impressive body of work behind her. Assassination Nation, A Million Little Pieces, Shirley, Mothering Sunday, The Stand, The Staircase, Manodrome, in each of these projects, she seems to have an effortless command over her character, each unique, never forced, always true. Now she stars as Vita, the lead character based on Zia Anger in My First Film. On this episode, she talks about the need to “cultivate an obsession” as character preparation, recent musings on “how much an actor should act to the camera,” why she never worries about […]

The post “The Process Was More Important Than the Result”: My First Film Star Odessa Young, Back To One, Episode 308 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Odessa Young is only 26, but she already has a truly impressive body of work behind her. Assassination Nation, A Million Little Pieces, Shirley, Mothering Sunday, The Stand, The Staircase, Manodrome, in each of these projects, she seems to have an effortless command over her character, each unique, never forced, always true. Now she stars as Vita, the lead character based on Zia Anger in My First Film. On this episode, she talks about the need to “cultivate an obsession” as character preparation, recent musings on “how much an actor should act to the camera,” why she never worries about […]

The post “The Process Was More Important Than the Result”: My First Film Star Odessa Young, Back To One, Episode 308 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

The new film by one of Hollywood's most underrated performers, Adrien Brody, received a notable 12-minute standing ovation at the Venice International Film Festival. The Brutalist, a historical drama directed by actor-turned-director Brady Corbet, is already generating Oscar buzz, and it's Brody's comeback opportunity after he stepped down from the Hollywood spotlight and dedicated himself to making lesser-known films. Needless to say, a 12-minute ovation is a great sign.

Corbet's The Brutalist features Brody as Lszl Tth, a Hungarian-born Jewish architect who has survived the ordeal of the Nazi Holocaust. Tth has a new start when he migrates to the United States with his wife, Erzsbet. In a span of 40 years, they experience the dawn of the post-war and ideal version of America. When Tth signs a deal to work with a very wealthy client named Harrison Lee Van Buren, things change, but Van Buren helps Tth in every possible way.

Zia Anger is haunted by a long-abandoned film project in her feature directorial debut “My First Film.” A filmmaker, performance artist, and celebrated director of music videos for the likes of Beach House, Angel Olsen, Mitski, and Zola Jesus, Anger fuses ideas from that unrealized project with echoes of a touring stage piece she started in 2018 for this Mubi release, out at the end of August. Odessa Young stands in for Anger as the young filmmaker Vita, who 15 years before started making a film about a young woman adrift after becoming pregnant. IndieWire shares the exclusive trailer for the film below.

Here’s the official synopsis: “Vita (Odessa Young) revisits her first chaotic attempt at filmmaking — a semi-autobiographical feature made 15 years prior about a young woman who decides to leave home after becoming pregnant. Blending past with present, reality with fiction, Zia Anger’s ‘debut’ film navigates the tumultuous intersection...

Starz has announced the movies and TV shows that will be available on the service in May. The Starz May 2024 schedule includes the finales of the limited series Mary & George and season three of Bmf.

On the film front, Starz is the exclusive streaming home to the latest installment in The Hunger Games franchise, The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes, which joins the Starz app this month along with several other notable titles, including Outlaw Johnny Black, Manodrome, Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris, Silent Night, and Nope.

Starz continues to be the home for franchise favorites with Jaws, Jaws 2, Jaws 3, and Jaws: The Revenge, as well as Meet the Parents, Meet the Fockers, and Little Fockers all joining the Starz app this month.

Celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with an Aquaphobia movie marathon on Starz Encore, beginning Saturday, May 25, at 7:00 p.m. with aquatic thrillers such as Jaws,...

Exclusive: Scott Emmer has joined the indie production company Riverside Entertainment, based out of L.A. and Nashville, as Development Executive, with Amanda Abicalaffe elevating to Director of Development.

Based in Los Angeles, Emmer will now oversee all aspects of development across Riverside’s growing slate of films and series. He comes to the company after stints at Meta, Marc Butan’s MadRiver Pictures, Audience Network and ICM.

In a statement to Deadline, he said: “I am thrilled and grateful to be joining the development team at Riverside. We share values of genuine collaboration as well as passion and commitment to premium storytelling.”

Brian Loschiavo, Riverside Entertainment Co-Founder and Executive Producer, called Emmer “the missing link we’ve needed in Los Angeles. Being an LA native with deep roots in the entertainment business, Scott’s relationships and instincts will help us level-up as we continue to expand into scripted.”

Abicalaffe...

Sallieu Sesay is a Sierra Leonean-American actor who has had recurring roles on CBS’ Seal Team and HBO’s Barry, and, in his latest, delivers an incredible supporting performance in John Trengove’s nihilistic thriller Manodrome alongside Jesse Eisenberg. On this episode he talks about doing tons of research before taking on that part, having so little in common with the character and facing the pressure of being at the center of a movie’s most pivotal scene. He gives us a glimpse at his dedication to this craft, his continuous training with some of the best acting teachers around such as Ivana […]

The post “There’s a Lot in This Heart”: Sallieu Sesay, Back To One, Episode 276 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

Sallieu Sesay is a Sierra Leonean-American actor who has had recurring roles on CBS’ Seal Team and HBO’s Barry, and, in his latest, delivers an incredible supporting performance in John Trengove’s nihilistic thriller Manodrome alongside Jesse Eisenberg. On this episode he talks about doing tons of research before taking on that part, having so little in common with the character and facing the pressure of being at the center of a movie’s most pivotal scene. He gives us a glimpse at his dedication to this craft, his continuous training with some of the best acting teachers around such as Ivana […]

The post “There’s a Lot in This Heart”: Sallieu Sesay, Back To One, Episode 276 first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.

2023 was a year of seemingly seismic change for the film industry, as superhero movies (especially Marvel) lost their grip on the box office while more auteur-led efforts such as Oppenheimer and Barbie made serious bank. Audiences seem hungry for a return to thoughtful and engaging efforts, voting for their wallets against a decade of cape-clad hegenomy in favour of more challenging (and visually interesting) cinema. But as with the majority of contemporary film analysis, these are mostly concerns for Hollywood. The international arthouse scene plugs away as usual, providing a diverse range of exciting visions that once again expand the very possibilities of the cinematic form. I went back and forth on this list several times, only coming to a final top ten this very morning. With courtroom drama, oddball romance, epic character study and even outright horror, this year’s selection subverted and expanded genre norms, showing that great cinema,...

Filmmaker John Trengove explores the world of "pro-men" groups in his latest film Manodrome. The film follows the story of Ralphie, a deeply troubled man who finds himself drawn into a group led by the charismatic Dad Dan. Adrien Brody gives a powerful performance as Dad Dan, a complex character who manipulates Ralphie for his own purposes, blurring the lines between good and evil.

Filmmaker John Trengove dives into the world of "pro-men" groups with Manodrome, his latest film, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Odessa Young, and Adrien Brody. Eisenberg plays Ralphie, a rideshare driver who was recently fired from his "real" job. With a pregnant girlfriend to support and bills to pay, to say nothing of the stress of his traumatic past and deeply closeted homosexuality. Eventually, Ralphie finds his way into a group of "proud men," so to speak, led by the charismatic Dad Dan, played by Adrien Brody. His...

The Marrakech Film Festival’s sixth Atlas Workshops kicks off today under the fresh curation of former indie film sales agent and publicist Hédi Zardi.

Running November 27 to 30 in a rambling riad on the outskirts of Marrakech, the project and talent incubator is showcasing 25 projects hailing from Mena and Africa, 16 in development and another nine in production or post-production.

Zardi is best known on the market and festival circuit as the former co-founding head of Paris-based sales banner Luxbox, which he created in 2015 with Fiorella Moretti who continues to run the company.

Together, the pair launched a raft of buzzy festival titles on the market, brokering deals to Ava DuVernay‘s Array for Isabel Sandoval’s trans migrant drama Lingua Franca, Oscilloscope Laboratories for Costa Rican Oscar entry Clara Sola by Nathalie Alvarez Mesen, and KimStim for Suzanne Lindon’s coming-of-age debut feature Spring Blossom.

After eight years on the sales circuit,...

Jesse Eisenberg found a sense of ease and liberation in playing J. Daniel Atlas in Now You See Me, aligning with his own profession as a performer. Eisenberg revealed that he doesn't actively pursue method acting, but Now You See Me movies allow him to feel like the character to a greater extent. Eisenberg's role in the Now You See Me series has positively impacted his mental health, allowing him to lower his antidepressant dosage and find joy and comfort in playing Atlas.

Jesse Eisenberg is at the center of growing excitement as the release of Now You See Me 3 draws near. In a recent interview with Collider, Eisenberg shared his distinct acting philosophy, particularly highlighting his experience in the Now You See Me franchise while promoting Manodrome.

Eisenberg's performances are often driven by depth, so he enjoyed a change of pace with his role in the Now You See Me movies.

"You say you're an asshole? Well, what are you doing about it?" Dad Dan (Adrien Brody) asks Ralphie (Jesse Eisenberg) in a tense scene from Lionsgate's new film Manodrome. Brody has worked alongside some of the finest directors and actors, with an Oscar trophy of his own under his belt. More recently, the Academy Award winner (for The Pianist) has taken on a variety of quirky and dark roles, with Manodrome easily making this list. Dad Dan, the leader of a mysterious all-male group that partakes in morally questionable therapy sessions at their upstate New York headquarters, is a role Brody simply nails.

Directed by John Trengove and also starring Jesse Eisenberg, Manodrome is out now, and we recently caught up with Brody to learn more about his juicy new role in the thought-provoking thriller about what it means to be a man.

Adrien Brody 'Felt Immense Sadness'

Manodrome...

Jesse Eisenberg wants to return to the fun and magic in Now You See Me 3.

While promoting his latest project Manodrome in an interview with Collider, Eisenberg discussed why his love for the magical heist caper franchise has him craving a break from the actor's string of "method actor" performances. "I discovered that I don't like actively pursuing what you would call 'method acting,' which is where you almost treat the circumstances as reality," Eisenberg said. "I found that not a lot of actors do or some do it kind of performatively, but in a way that doesn't feel exactly real. For me, doing those movies, Now You See Me more than anything is like the furthest I go in terms of feeling like the character, because I am an actual performer as my job and the character is a performer."

Now You See Me 3 Reportedly Confirmed With Jesse Eisenberg,...

The box office has shown that audiences are growing tired of franchise films, with many recent installments underperforming or outright bombing. The lack of original and smaller films in theaters and big streaming releases is becoming increasingly noticeable, with audiences craving unique and daring content. Adrien Brody laments the decline of independent films with us, expressing a desire for greater access to and appreciation of these types of movies.

People who beathlessly exhalted Top Gun: Maverick last year for 'saving movie theaters' should've held that breath until 2023, when the box office has told a very different story. People are understandably sick of franchise fever. New installments in the MCU, the Dcu, the Mission Impossible franchise, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles franchise, the Transformers franchise, the Indiana Jones franchise, and more have either bombed in 2023 or performed much worse than expected. Of course, that's not the case for every film. On the other hand,...

If you talk to Jesse Eisenberg, you quickly realize he takes acting and its craft seriously, especially with films that make you uncomfortable. It is hard to think of one that fits this bill quite like Manodrome, which sees him playing a man named Ralphie who is having a hard time with life lately. His girlfriend is pregnant and money is increasingly tight. When he hears about a group of men who invite him to come meet with them, he begins to go down a dark path that seems destined for destruction. Starring alongside Adrien Brody, the duo ooze toxic masculinity and make you wish you could be anywhere else but in the room with them.

Jesse Eisenberg discusses Manodrome

Intently focused on the interior journey of a troubled character, Manodrome, which is currently in cinemas in the US, is an actor’s dream. I interviewed director John Trengove two weeks ago but subsequently got the chance to follow that up by talking to star Jesse Eisenberg, free to discuss his work after the end of the actors’ strike, and always, he tells me, happy to do publicity because “everybody’s so nice.”

In the film, Jesse plays Ralphie, a man who has recently lost his job, is in a rocky relationship with his girlfriend and is about to become a father, who makes a frantic effort to reclaim his masculinity by joining a cult. It’s not so long since he explored similar themes in Riley Stearns’ The Art Of Self-Defense, and many actors hesitate to take on similar material like that for fear of being typecast,...

Manodrome is a thriller-drama film written and directed by John Trengove. The drama film revolves around Ralphie, an Uber driver who aspires to be a bodybuilder gets inducted into a libertarian masculinity cult, and loses his grip on reality because of all the pressures in his life. Manodrome stars Jesse Eisenberg in the lead role with Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Sallieu Sesay, and Philip Ettinger starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved Manodrome here are some similar movies you could watch next.

The Art of Self-Defense (Max & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Bleecker Street

Synopsis: A dark comedy set in the world of karate. The film centers on Casey (Jesse Eisenberg), who is attacked at random on the street and enlists in a local dojo led by a charismatic and mysterious Sensei (Alessandro Nivola), in an effort to learn how to defend himself. What he uncovers is a sinister world of fraternity,...

Jesse Eisenberg discusses his experience of shooting a gay love scene as a straight man in the film Manodrome. Eisenberg reveals that he worked closely with an intimacy coordinator to navigate the sensitive nature of the scene. Director John Trengove reflects on the personal connection between the film's storyline and his own experiences as a gay man.

Jesse Eisenberg has tackled a variety of roles throughout his acting career with his most recent project seeing the star portray a man named Ralphie in John Trengove's new film Manodrome. While reflecting on his character in the drama film, Eisenberg shared his first experience of shooting a gay love scene as a straight man.

The Trengove directed and scripted film, Manodrome, follows Eisenberg's Ralphie, a man who grappling with his girlfriend's (played by Odessa Young) pregnancy. In the movie, Ralphie's life takes a sudden turn after he becomes acquainted with a mysterious family of men,...

Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody reunite on-screen for the film Manodrome, but Eisenberg didn't think Brody would remember their previous collaboration in The Village. Despite their brief interaction in The Village, Eisenberg was star-struck by Brody, who was the most famous actor in the world at the time. Eisenberg praises Brody's warm and inviting personality, which made their on-screen dynamic as a cult leader and vulnerable follower in Manodrome perfect.

Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody unite on-screen for John Trengove's Manodrome, an incel satire focused on a man whose life spirals out of control when he meets a mysterious family of men. However, the pair previously appeared in a movie together two decades ago, and Eisenberg really did not think that his co-star would recall their previous meeting.

Manodrome has opened to mixed reviews, but it's impossible to deny the star power of its starring duo: Brody became the...

From Mark Zuckerberg to Lex Luthor, Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg has played a wide variety of roles over the years. His most recent role is in the surreal winter film Manodrome. This definitely isn't A Christmas Story — the film follows Ralphie (Eisenberg), a man in New York who becomes increasingly paranoid, sexually confused, and violent after he finds out his partner back home (Odessa Young) is pregnant.

From director John Trengove, the head-spinning new Manodrome further proves the versatility of Eisenberg, who's been a performer to keep note of ever since the days of The Squid and the Whale. Just when you think you're familiar with the facets of Eisenberg, he goes and transforms a character in the most surprising of ways, something he does here with wonderful results. We recently caught up with Jesse Eisenberg to learn more about the challenges — or lack thereof — behind tackling the infamous...

What if Travis Bickle was an Uber driver and was expecting a baby with his girlfriend? South African director John Trengove’s first English-language film, titled Manodrome, asks that very question. But while the iconic Scorsese film worked more as a social commentary and looked at the psyche of the man through a lens, Trengove’s film kind of ends up sympathizing with this guy by offering a botched-up explanation behind his problematic actions. The film also channels its inner Fight Club, but does not quite manage to reach the heights of the David Fincher classic, thanks to a lack of proper vision. That’s why, in spite of having a fairly relevant topic at its core and genuinely talented actors Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody at the helm of it, Manodrome feels like a bit of a hack job. It wouldn’t be unfair to call this thing a “Midsommar,...

Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Albert Brooks: Defending My Life (Rob Reiner)

One of the most brilliant comedic minds to ever live finally gets his due in Rob Reiner’s loving documentary. Framed around a conversation between the two, Brooks dives into all of his creative output while still proving he’s as witty as ever––and indeed, if you’ve never seen some of his early late-night bits, you’ll be howling along. And since you’ll be looking for more from Brooks to watch after watching, Lost in America and Defending Your Life are on Max, Modern Romance is on Tubi, and Real Life is on Kanopy.

Where to Stream: Max

Before, Now & Then (Kamila Andini)

In Before, Now & Then the social...

Manodrome lacks the depth and social commentary found in movies like Taxi Driver and Fight Club due to its lack of voiceover narration. Jesse Eisenberg's performance as Ralphie, a character struggling with his identity, is a standout in the film. Unlike movies like Taxi Driver and Fight Club, Manodrome fails to challenge the viewer's own perspective and morality, resulting in a movie that is relatively toothless.

It might seem unfair to measure Manodrome against generation-defining explorations of masculine rage like Taxi Driver and Fight Club, but this movie seems to invoke them. Its protagonist is a driver, but for Uber; he joins a cultish, all-male club, but they do more chanting and shopping than mayhem. The list of concepts touched upon as he spirals downward is long enough to understand that writer-director John Trengove aims to speak to our moment as those movies did to theirs, but his work...

Jesse Eisenberg delivers a strong performance as Ralphie in the chilling psychological thriller Manodrome, showcasing his versatility as an actor. The film explores themes of masculinity and sexuality, with Ralphie questioning his own identity and getting caught up in a dangerous men's group led by Adrien Brody's character. While the plot may be surface-level at moments and some characters needed more screen time, Manodrome offers impressive camerawork and a paranoid atmosphere that is grimly topical.

If you were to juxtapose the opening scene of The Social Network with any dialogue-heavy sequence from Manodrome, you'd see a humorously stark contrast in the way Academy Award-nominated actor Jesse Eisenberg speaks. "Yo, so like, there was this kid, and like..." is just one example of the informal, slang-heavy way in which Ralphie converses in a new chilling new psychological thriller from South African writer-director John Trengove (The Wound). Eisenberg nails this lead...

Wrecked Ralph: Trengove Gazes into the Weaponization of Masculinity in Unsettling Character Study

Playwright and activist Eve Ensler commented on a 2017 panel regarding how “the tyranny of masculinity and the tyranny of patriarchy…has been much more deadly to men than it has to women. It hasn’t killed our hearts. It’s killed men’s hearts.” Ralphie, the troubled protagonist of John Trengove’s sophomore feature, Manodrome, is at this very precipice, on the verge of losing his heart. Like his 2017 debut, The Wound (read review), in which a tribal ritual unleashes sexual repressions with dire consequences, he focuses on a similar homosocial sphere in the US, creating a fictional libertarian masculinity cult utilizing a now commonplace rhetoric amongst several groups vocalizing a desire to reclaim something they believe they’ve lost, which is undaunted dominion.…...

"Manodrome" is a new dramatic thriller written and directed by John Trengove, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Sallieu Sesay, Philip Ettinger, Ethan Suplee, Evan Jonigkeit and Caleb Eberhardt, releasing November 10, 2023 in theaters:

"...'Ralphie' (Eisenberg), a New York 'Uber' driver, is struggling to make ends meet with his pregnant partner 'Sal'. 

"Then he is introduced to an intense all-male 'self-help' cult by a friend. 

He suffers a breakdown and descends into madness..."

Click the images to enlarge...

What if you could choose your family? Veteran actors Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody explore this alternative idea in Manodrome, a tense new thriller from writer-director John Trengove that quickly turns psychological as a certain character loses their grip on reality. Eisenberg plays Ralphie, a New York Uber driver who spends his free time caring for his pregnant lover Sal (Odessa Young) and also bodybuilding. Watch as he often goes out of his way to take mirror selfies at the gym, seemingly impressed with his own hard work.

Down and out of his luck, however, Ralphie is drawn to a mysterious brotherhood led by Dad Dan (Brody), which seems like all-good-things at first, a sort of saving grace for the recently unemployed dad-to-be. But then pressure mounts in the unholy world around him, and Ralphie may or may not just spiral. We recently caught up with Trengove to learn more...

Manodrome explores toxic masculinity, a topic that is also depicted in other films of 2023 like Barbie and Fair Play, highlighting the importance of critiquing male supremacist mindsets in society. Unlike other films, Manodrome focuses on Ralphie's mentality and doesn't make apologies for the characters' behaviors, providing an unsettling exploration into the effects of toxic masculinity. Manodrome is a serious film that tackles the troubling appeal and consequences of a men's rights mentality, offering a unique perspective on the subject. The film's release in theaters starts on November 10.

Manodrome is the sophomore film from South African writer and director John Trengove, whose debut feature, The Wound, was South Africa’s entry for Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards. Manodrome stars Jesse Eisenberg as Ralphie, who finds himself welcomed into a self-styled family of men led by Dad Dan, one of Adrien Brody’s most anticipated upcoming roles. The...

Let’s start with the good news: “Manodrome” runs zero risk of inadvertently launching an online army of right wing grifters who use their misunderstanding of its message to hawk dubious supplements and training courses 25 years after its release. Which is more than can be said for David Fincher’s “Fight Club,” the movie it desperately wants to emulate. The bad news is that fact owes less to the film’s articulation of its ideas than its lack of charisma, which is almost certain to prevent it from making the kind of cultural imprint that would allow for misinterpretations in the first place.

While it’s often unfair to compare one movie so directly to another, the blatant similarities between “Manodrome” and “Fight Club” make it unavoidable here. John Trengrove’s new film follows Ralphie (Jesse Eisenberg), a directionless man who finds solace in lifting weights after being laid off from his maintenance job.

We have an official clip for the new film Manodrome, a dark and slightly surreal thriller from filmmaker John Trengove. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Sallieu Sesay, Ethan Suplee, and Philip Ettinger, Manodrome is an intense satire about machismo and masculinity that is sure to spark debate. You can watch this first-look clip above, and you can read the full synopsis below:

"In Manodrome, which made its world premiere at the Berlinale Film Festival earlier this year, Ralphie (Jesse Eisenberg) is a man wrestling with outside forces and the demons within when he meets a mysterious family of men who welcome him as one of their own. As Ralphie struggles to define himself, pressure mounts and a powder keg is lit that will blow a hole in the lives of everyone he touches. Joining Eisenberg is an all-star cast including Adrien Brody and the unforgettable Odessa Young. Experience...

"Manodrome" is a new dramatic thriller written and directed by John Trengove, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Sallieu Sesay, Philip Ettinger, Ethan Suplee, Evan Jonigkeit and Caleb Eberhardt, releasing November 10, 2023 in theaters:

"...'Ralphie' (Eisenberg), a New York 'Uber' driver, is struggling to make ends meet with his pregnant partner 'Sal'. 

"Then he is introduced to an intense all-male 'self-help' cult by a friend. 

He suffers a breakdown and descends into madness..."

Click the images to enlarge...

20th Century Studios has debuted a teaser trailer for the highly anticipated fourth entry in the franchise ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.’

The saga will follow Caeser’s son Cornelius several years after Caeser’s death in the 2017 offering of ‘War for the Planet of the Apes, who was only a child. Cornelius must carry on his father’s legacy by preventing apes from twisting Caesar’s teachings to enslave other primates.

Directed by Wes Ball (The Maze Runner), Owen Teague provides the voice and motion capture of Cornelius. Other new cast members include Kevin Durand, Freya Allen, William H. Macy and Peter Macon.

Also in trailers – Jesse Eisenberg & Adrien Brody star in trailer for dark comedy ‘Manodrome’

The film is set to premiere on May 24, 2024.

The post Teaser trailer drops for ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Universal Pictures has debuted the trailer for David Leitch’s upcoming action comedy ‘The Fall Guy.’

He’s a stuntman, and like everyone in the stunt community, he gets blown up, shot, crashed, thrown through windows and dropped from the highest of heights, all for our entertainment. And now, fresh off an almost career-ending accident, this working-class hero has to track down a missing movie star, solve a conspiracy and try to win back the love of his life while still doing his day job. What could possibly go right?

Directed by David Leitch, the film stars Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, and Stephanie Hsu.

Also in trailers – Jesse Eisenberg & Adrien Brody star in trailer for dark comedy ‘Manodrome’

The movie hits UK & Irish cinemas on March 1st 2024.

The post Ryan Gosling & Emily Blunt star in hilarious trailer for ‘The Fall Guy’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

We Are Parable have launched the UK trailer for Savanah Leaf’s poetic and powerful feature debut, Earth Mama, starring Tia Nomore and Erika Alexander.

The film follows Gia (Tia Nomore), a pregnant single mother, with two children in foster care who embraces her Bay Area community as she fights to reclaim her family. A delicate yet raw portrayal, it explores the experience of black single mothers fighting the foster care system and a society that expects them to fail and strips them of their agency.

Making her screen acting debut in the leading role of ‘Gia’ is rapper and musical artist Tia Nomore. The film also stars Erika Alexander, rapper and musical artist Doechii who also makes her acting debut, Keta Price, Sharon Duncan Brewster, Dominic Fike and Bokeem Woodbine.

Also in trailers – Jesse Eisenberg & Adrien Brody star in trailer for dark comedy ‘Manodrome’

The film will be released in UK cinemas from 8 December,...

Lionsgate has debuted the trailer for John Trengove’s English-language debut centring on toxic masculinity, ‘Manodrome.’

The story follows Ralphie (Jesse Eisenberg), a New York Uber driver struggling to make ends meet and anxiously awaiting the birth of his child with Sal (Odessa Young).

Feeling overstressed and lost, his search for greater fulfilment finds him becoming involved with an intense all-male self-help group led by the guru-like Dan (Adrien Brody).

As Ralph falls deeper into dependence on the group and its increasingly aggressive and dominance-driven members, his relationship and his life crumble until he suffers a breakdown and descends into madness.

Ethan Suplee, Evan Jonigkeit and Philip Ettinger also star in the film which Riley Keough, Ryan Zacarias, Ben Giladi, and Gina Gammell produce.

Also in trailers – “This is Janet…” Trailer drops for comic thriller series ‘Boat Story’

The post Jesse Eisenberg & Adrien Brody star in trailer for dark comedy ‘Manodrome’ appeared first on HeyUGuys.

Though you probably only know Alex Wolff from his performances in films such as “Oppenheimer,” “Pig,” and “Hereditary,” the actor also dabbles in a bit of filmmaking. He already has one feature under his belt, the 2019 drama “The Cat and the Moon,” and now, it appears he’s ready to sit in the director’s chair once more for the upcoming film, “If She Burns.”

Read More: ‘Manodrome’ Trailer: Jesse Eisenberg & Adrien Brody Are Giving ‘Fight Club’ Vibes In New Toxic Masculinity Thriller

According to THR, Alex Wolff is set to star in “If She Burns,” a film he is already attached to as a writer and director.

Continue reading ‘If She Burns’: Alex Wolff To Write, Direct & Star In A New Drama Co-Starring Asa Butterfield, Justice Smith & Victoria Pedretti at The Playlist.

"Manodrome" is a new dramatic thriller written and directed by John Trengove, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Adrien Brody, Odessa Young, Sallieu Sesay, Philip Ettinger, Ethan Suplee, Evan Jonigkeit and Caleb Eberhardt, releasing November 10, 2023 in theaters:

"...'Ralphie' (Eisenberg), a New York 'Uber' driver, is struggling to make ends meet with his pregnant partner 'Sal'. 

"Then he is introduced to an intense all-male 'self-help' cult by a friend. 

He suffers a breakdown and descends into madness..."

Click the images to enlarge...

Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg stars in the intense thriller Manodrome as Ralphie, an out-of-work Uber driver struggling with his masculinity. Ralphie joins a cult-like group of men who embrace physical dominance, leading to a newfound empowerment that brings along its own set of problems. Director John Trengove drew inspiration from the book Kill All Normies to explore themes of internet culture, the alt-right, and the rejection of societal roles in the film.

Lionsgate has dropped the adrenaline-fueled first trailer for the upcoming thriller Manodrome. Academy Award nominee Jesse Eisenberg stars in the film as Ralphie, an out-of-work Uber driver who is expecting a baby with his girlfriend, Sal (Odessa Young). To add to his struggles, Ralphie goes through life feeling disrespected and ridiculed by other men. Cue a charismatic older man named Dan (portrayed by Academy Award winner Adrien Brody) who appears at just the right time and implores...

It’s not quite “Fight Club,” and it’s not quite “Toxic Masculinity: The Movie” or “Incels R Us,” but the new trailer for the film, “Manodrome” definitely seems like it’s trying to tap into the world of white men struggling emotionally and psychologically, coupled with issues of insecurity and powerlessness, who take the wrong lessons from their troubles and perhaps mental health worries.

In “Manodrome,” by South African filmmaker John Trengove, known for “The Wound” and the TV series “Swartwater,” Academy Award-acclaimed actors Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”) and Adrien Brody (“The Pianist”), star in a thriller about one man’s desperate quest to reinvent himself, and his chilling descent into a world of destruction.

Continue reading ‘Manodrome’ Trailer: Jesse Eisenberg & Adrien Brody Are Giving ‘Fight Club’ Vibes In New Toxic Masculinity Thriller at The Playlist.

Jesse Eisenberg is getting absolutely ripped in a new trailer for Lionsgate’s upcoming feature, Manodrome. While audiences may be used to seeing the Academy Award-nominated actor in less action-heavy projects like The Social Network and Fleishman is in Trouble, the teaser for Manodrome packs on plenty of toxic masculinity in a production that looks to be heavily influenced by popular book-turned-film, Fight Club. With the addition of Adrien Brody in a powerhouse performance that centers him as a cult leader, John Trengove’s English-language debut looks like a promising reflection on alpha-male culture.

Premiering earlier this year at Berlinale, John Trengove’s The Wound follow-up Manodrome sets Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody in a Fight Club-esque tale following a man wrestling with his own demons who gets welcomed into a mysterious family of men. Ahead of a November release from Lionsgate, the first trailer has now arrived.

Rory O’Connor said in his Berlinale review, “In Manodrome, cinema’s enduring love for frustrated male loners is brought, kicking and screaming, into the cold light of the present day. Set in an unnamed, crumbling city in the Northeast, it stars an against-type Jesse Eisenberg as a jacked-up, emotionally stunted gym bro who joins a cult of voluntarily and involuntarily celibate men. The director is John Trengrove, whose previous feature The Wound used a very real Xhosa rite of passage as a way to examine the ever-knotted rituals of male bonding. The subcultures in Manodrome...

"Take back your power, Ralph!!" Lionsgate has revealed an official trailer for a film called Manodrome, an indie creation from South African filmmaker John Trengove (director of The Wound previously). This premiered at the Berlin Film Festival to mostly mixed to positive reviews - its a very slick film, although it doesn't particularly stand out much. Conflicted about his girlfriend's pregnancy, Ralphie's life spirals out of control when he meets a mysterious family of men. Manodrome is a clever criticism of toxic masculinity and fragile men who are obsessed with being men (you know the ones). Jesse Eisenberg stars as one of these guys who falls into this kind of cult for men, run by Adrien Brody. Then it gets really crazy... The cast also features Odessa Young, Philip Ettinger, Sallieu Sesay, Ethan Suplee, Evan Joningkeit, and Caleb Eberhardt. I saw this at Berlinale earlier in the year - it's a good film,...

Shane Atkinson’s “Laroy,” a crime thriller laced with dark comedy, swept three major prizes at the 49th edition of the Deauville American Film Festival.

The movie, which marks Atkinson’s feature debut and showcases Coen brothers influences, won the Grand Prize, the Audience Award and the Critics Award. It stars John Magaro as Ray, who decides to kill himself after discovering his wife has been cheating on him. But just before he pulls a trigger, a stranger takes him for a low-rent hitman. The movie was produced by the Cannes-based company Adastra Films and was acquired by a French distributor, Arp Selection, during the Deauville Film Festival. It previously opened at the Tribeca Film Festival.

The Jury Prize, meanwhile was shared by two films, Sean Price Williams’ “The Sweet East” and Iranian-born director Babak Jalali’s “Fremont.” “The Sweet East” marks the feature debut of Price, a well-established cinematographer whose credits include “Good Time.

Deauville American Film Festival will forge ahead with its honorary tributes to stars such as Natalie Portman, Jude Law, Peter Dinklage and Joseph Gordon-Levitt despite the fact that they won’t be in attendance due to the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The festival’s artistic director, Bruno Barde, told Variety ahead of the event’s press conference on Thursday that he empathized with actors and writers who are on strike to “protect themselves against the dangers of artificial intelligence.”

“AI has always existed in cinema and it’s now posing a threat to screenwriters, set designers, dubbers and, of course, to actors whom we’re using the image of. Cinema is an art that elevates humankind, and artificial intelligence does the exact opposite. It’s a danger,” Barde said.

And while he stands in solidarity with the strike, he has opted “to maintain all the tributes which will pay homage to careers...

One of the top three strictly American indie film festivals outside of the US, France’s Deauville American Film Festival has unveiled the fourteen titles in the competition section with films dating back to Marian Mathias‘ Runner (Venice 2022) passing through (Sundance) in heavyweight contender Celine Song‘s Past Lives and Babak Jalali‘s Fremont to Berlinale with John Trengove‘s Manodrome and to the Tribeca with Hannah Peterson‘s The Graduate plus some Directors’ Fortnight titles for good measure.

The 49th edition takes place between September 1st and the 10th and they’ll likely throw in a trio of French title world premieres in the mix.…...

France’s Deauville American Film Festival has unveiled the 14 U.S. indie titles selected for competition in its 49th edition running from September 1 to 10.

They include Celine Song’s Sundance hit Past Lives; Jesse Eisenberg-starring Berlin Golden Bear Contender Manodrome by John Trengove as well as Sean Price Williams’ The Sweet East and Joanna Arnow’s micro-budget debut The Feeling That The Time For Doing Something Has Passed, which both debuted in Cannes Directors’ Fortnight in May.

“Always in search of the talent of tomorrow, which is already enjoying success today, the strong competition of nine first films and eight films by female directors gives hope for the future of independent cinema,” said festival director Bruno Barde.

This year’s main competition jury will be presided over by actor-director-producer Guillaume Canet, with other members including filmmakers Laure de Clermont-Tonnerre, Alexandre Aja and Léa Mysius as well as actress Rebecca Marder.