Look, I know Shia LeBeouf has rubbed people the wrong way with his douchey antics from the past (and possibly present, I don't keep up with the guy). But it can't be denied: the man can act. And, unfortunately, with human beings being the flawed creatures we are, sometimes separating the art from the artist the only way we're able to enjoy great things (otherwise I wouldn't be able to watch CHINATOWN or ANNIE HALL, for instance).
Anyway, this brings us to MAN DOWN, a drama about returning veterans starring The Beef himself, as well as Jai Courtney (who, after his fun turn as Captain Boomerang, exonerates all previous sins), Kate Mara, and Gary Oldman. Here's the off-beat, but affecting, trailer:
I don't know about you, but I appreciate that the trailer isn't hitting the same beats many of these type of films get. It's pumping techno song gives the war footage and LaBeouf's breakdown a jagged edge that sweeping violin strings or a somber cover of a pop song wouldn't. Not to mention the war scenes look appropriately gritty, and Shia seems to be nailing his role as a broken-down returning vet. Let's just hope the film itself has that off-beat edge, and doesn't become the melodramatic pap these types of stories often devolve into.
MAN DOWN will fall into theaters December 2nd, 2016.
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