One of the most deeply affecting films thus far this year is Justin Kurzel‘s dark drama Snowtown. Telling the true story of a serial killer in South Australian, the director showed astounding talent in conveying a grim tone and I can’t picture a more perfect match than what his next project is looking to be.
Variety reports he’s jumped on board an adaptation of John le Carre‘s Our Kind of Traitor, with a script written by Drive‘s Hossein Amini. The novel, following a Russian money launderer who is looking to hide out in UK, is le Carre’s most recent, just seeing a releas two years ago. With the original story set in London, Paris, Moscow and Tangiers, there’s no telling where the production will actually head, but it will certainly mark a huge jump for Kurzel.
With Tomas Alfredson knocking the latest le Carre adaptation out of the park with Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Kurzel’s similarly reserved style seems perfectly fit for Traitor, which is “more visceral” than last year’s adaptation. Kurzel remarked, saying he “instantly connected to the material, which is a “a contemporary, muscular thriller that felt really fresh, with subject matter and characters that were relevant and immediate to today.” He even found cross-over in his last film with the father-son relationship in this material. We certainly can’t wait for this one. Check out an expanded synopsis below via Amazon.
For nearly half a century, John le Carré’s limitless imagination has enthralled millions of readers and moviegoers around the globe. From the cold war to the bitter fruits of colonialism to unrest in the Middle East, he has reinvented the spy novel again and again. Now, le Carré makes his Viking debut with a stunning tour-de- force that only a craftsman of his caliber could pen. As menacing and flawlessly paced as The Little Drummer Girl and as morally complex as The Constant Gardener, Our Kind of Traitor is signature le Carré.
Perry and Gail are idealistic and very much in love when they splurge on a tennis vacation at a posh beach resort in Antigua. But the charm begins to pall when a big-time Russian money launderer enlists their help to defect. In exchange for amnesty, Dima is ready to rat out his vory (Russian criminal brotherhood) compatriots and expose corruption throughout the so-called legitimate financial and political worlds. Soon, the guileless couple find themselves pawns in a deadly endgame whose outcome will be determined by the victor of the British Secret Service’s ruthless internecine battles.
Production on Our Kind of Traitor is set to begin this fall. Check out our interview with Kurzel and review of his excellent Snowtown.