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October 2009
LAW ABIDING CITIZEN | An Interview with Director F. Gary Gray

LAW ABIDING CITIZEN
An Interview with Director F. Gary Gray
by Wilson Morales



October 13, 2009




F. Gary Gray is credited with helming 'Friday,' 'Set it Off,' 'The Negotiator' and 'The Italian Job.' Coming from the music video world, the New York native has achieved success with his films, although his last one, the comedy film 'Be Cool,' didn't exactly do much at the box office, considering it was the sequel to the blockbuster 'Get Shorty.' Now that Gary is back to directing dramatic genres, the outcome of his latest film should be rewarding.

In 'Law Abiding Citizen,' Gary tells the story of a man (Gerard Butler) who, 10 years after his wife and daughter are brutally murdered, returns to exact justice on the assistant district attorney (Jamie Foxx) who prosecuted the case against their killers. His vengeance not only threatens the man who allowed mercy to supersede justice but also the system and the city that made it so.

The film also stars Viola Davis, Bruce McGill, Leslie Bibb, Colm Meaney and Regina Hall.

In speaking with Blackfilm.com, Gray discussed 'Citizen,' getting the Marvin Gaye story to the big screen and walking away from the music world.


 

 

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What was the most appealing aspect of doing this movie?

F. Gary Gray: The concept. The concept of a man taking an entire city hostage from prison was an incredible to me. That and the script just was really up my alley. If you want to be thoroughly entertained, if you want to sit on the edge of your seat, if you want to watch a movie that keeps you guessing throughout then this is the movie to see.


Was there anything you changed from the initial script to add to your flavor of directing?

FGG: Yeah, absolutely. I made a lot of changes actually, but the gist of the story stayed the same. I just wanted to kind of make it my own. There was a lot of good material to work with. The opening of the movie was somewhat impressionistic, and I wanted to open the movie with a punch in the gut so that people were on notice and realized that this wasn't going to be the average formula revenge thriller. That's what was I going for. That's an example of how I came in and kind of changed it and made it my own.


Did you have anyone as a consultant to advise on what you guys were doing?

FGG: Yeah. I met with the assistant district attorney of Philadelphia who read the script and told us where we needed to make adjustments, police supervision and things like that. We definitely worked with people from the Department of Defense on certain weapons and weaponry and things like that. So there was quite a bit of homework done, but at the same time, it's not a documentary. So we definitely took some liberties in order to get the story into a two-hour movie and hopefully people will end up invested in the characters and follow along in the story we told.


What made you think of the leads for the movie, Jamie Foxx and Gerard Butler?

FGG: They

were all on board before me. I got a call from Jamie Foxx, saying, "Hey, listen, I think this material is perfect for us. Read it and tell me what you think. This could be the one." I read it and felt enough that the material was outstanding, and I decided to do it and here we are.


How was it working with the two of them?

FGG: It was great. It was challenging in some instances, but ultimately it was really worth it. Jamie is an amazing guy. I consider him a good friend. Gerard is very, very smart and really focused on making not only his character work but making his story work. So in that regard, I'm really, really impressed with both of them.


Jamie sometimes has a habit of clowning around the set. Did he do that on this movie?

FGG: In some instances, absolutely. I remember on the last day of shooting, we were shooting the last scene in the movie and I'm right in the middle of the take, and he convinces the sound man to play 'Blame it on the Alcohol' and he had 300 extras dancing in the middle of my scene, and it was hilarious. He certainly didn't lose his comedic edge during this film although it was a very serious role.


Your films seem to have in common a cat-and-mouse chase. Is that your style and what gets thrown at you often?

FGG: I don't know if I have a style more so than I love scenes that center around strategy and chess games, smart subject matter that doesn't necessarily fall into the normal kind of common three-act structure. I love the chess game. A good chess game will always attract me to a project, but hopefully people can see that I like to do different things, from comedy to action thrillers. Now I can add psychological thriller to the list. But I try to take risks and try not to do the same thing over and over again.


What's going on with the sequel to 'The Italian Job?'

FGG: Right now I think it's just about making sure the material is good because no one wants to see a sequel that's not b

etter than the first, and that's what's happening right now. They're developing 'The Brazilian Job,' and hopefully it turns out better than the first. If so, we'll all jump in and make it, but I don't think that's something you should rush. That's something that you take your time with and make sure that it's right before you jump the gun.


What's next on your plate?

FGG: I have a few projects, but I'd love to do the Marvin Gaye story. That's something that I'm really passionate about, but there's a lot that has to happen with the music rights because there are a few Marvin Gaye projects that are going on.


It seems like that's a never ending story, the process of getting that film made.

FGG: Well, I think it's a never-ending story because it's a profound story, and I think that just like his life, he had a really difficult life. He had an incredible life. I think that it would be a difficult film to make, but it would be an incredible film. Whether I do it or someone else does it, I think it's a story that should be told, but hopefully it's something that I can get my hands on and really throw up on the screen because I think it's absolutely amazing.


How different are music videos today from the days you were shooting them?

FGG:

I don't watch videos today,

so I'm not really sure. I focus on movies. I think we had a lot of really big creative in the '90s. I'm not really sure what they're doing today. It's purely a marketing tool, but certainly when I was in it, I enjoyed it because we had the room to do our thing.


What was most challenging aspect of closing out this film?

FGG: Shooting a film in Philadelphia during the winter was challenging. It was really cold.

 


IN THEATERS OCTOBER 16, 2009

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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