The Women of Faster
The female characters in Faster balance the film’s male energy and play a significant and influential role in the lives of the men – both inspiring their male counterparts, as well as playing a part in their unraveling.
For Driver, a visit to his ex-girlfriend offers a deeper look into what he’s sacrificed since he’s been in prison. The scene allowed Johnson to play a more dramatic moment and a chance to work with “Dexter”’s Jennifer Carpenter “Jennifer is great,” notes Johnson. “At the end of our scene, her character calls after Driver and says, ‘I hope you kill them all!’ With Jennifer’s delivery, the line truly packs a punch.”
For Killer, whose mania and obsession with being the best is all consuming, his lover Lily provides the only emotional connection in his life. While Lily is very supportive, she is also growing in a different direction from Killer in what she wants out of life. She tries to hold on to him and keep him invested in their life together but she can see that she is losing him to the chase. The role of Lily called for an actress who is not only beautiful, but a strong enough force to reign in Killer. Filmmakers found their Lily in actress Maggie Grace (most notably known for starring opposite Liam Neeson in Taken, as well as in the television series “Lost”).
Grace was intrigued by Lily and her complicated dynamic with Killer. “Lily tries to keep Killer safe but he fully commits to whatever he does in life,” she explains. “He’s an adrenaline junky to the nth degree.”
From his first reading with Grace, Jackson-Cohen was taken by the actress’s presence. “She walked in to the audition and she brought something I never even expected. She was so caring and all-knowing without being motherly,” recalls Jackson-Cohen.
Whereas Killer’s relationship with Lily is intact (albeit at a pivotal crossroads), Cop is desperately trying to salvage whatever is left of his relationship with his wife Marina and their 8 year-old son Tommy. Although Cop had a hand in helping Marina face her own demons in the past, she is no longer willing to let him drag her down.
Actress Moon Bloodgood, who recently broke out in the film Terminator Salvation, was enthusiastic about tackling a role with such grit and realism. “I found the role of Marina very compelling having never before played someone with such a dysfunctional background who is trying to proactively make her life better,” explains Bloodgood. “Everyone has secrets and pain but Marina carries that all with her.”
For Bloodgood, the opportunity to work with Billy Bob Thornton was a dream. As for Thornton, he was completely impressed with Bloodgood whom he describes as “a terrific actress and a great person.”
Marina is not the only woman Cop has to win over. Cicero, a tough-asnails, by-the-book homicide detective, is baffled when she learns Cop has been assigned to be her partner on Driver’s case. Cicero is a rising star on the force and has no tolerance for Cop’s antics.
Though Driver doesn’t share any scenes with Cicero, Johnson was ecstatic to learn Carla Gugino (Watchmen) signed on to play the role (they previously starred together in Race To Witch Mountain). “Like the character of Cicero, Carla is a strong, independent woman. She can easily go toe-to-toe with Billy and still be very sexy.”
Casting A Few (Complicated) Men
Driver’s first hit takes him to a telemarketing office where he finds his first target and lands on the radar of Bakersfield homicide detectives. Two weeks away from retirement, force veteran Cop is assigned to the case. He has been through a lot in his tenure on the force and now, with retirement and the promise of a new life on the horizon, he is trying to gain respect from his colleagues and mend fences with his estranged wife Marina and their young son.
Oscar-winning writer/director/actor Billy Bob Thornton was attracted to Cop’s deeply-rooted shades of gray and signed on. “It’s always fun to play someone who’s a bit ambiguous,” says Thornton. “Those characters are usually a lot more interesting to portray and more entertaining for the audience to watch.”
“Cop is a guy whose life has really gone the wrong way,” Thornton continues. “He doesn’t have much. In his feeble way he is trying to scratch his way back to some kind of semblance of normalcy but it’s not easy.”
Tillman knew that Thornton’s immense talent and commitment would bring a lot to the project. “Aside from his ability to play Cop’s vulnerability and flaws, Billy Bob is a talented writer/director so he is a great collaborator on all aspects of how to make a scene better.”
“Billy Bob is absolutely perfect for the role of Cop,” adds Johnson. “He is very talented, intriguing and extremely passionate, especially when he finds a character he loves.”
Also hot on Driver’s trail is a professional assassin, Killer, who has an insatiable appetite for the extreme. Killer is an intense character driven by an innate insecurity and an unquenchable thirst for approval. When first sparring with Driver and experiencing his total lack of fear, Killer is shaken to the core. The encounter sparks something within the character that triggers an obsession with besting and essentially killing Driver.
“Killer is truly a fascinating character,” says Teitel. “While his main objective is to get Driver, he also admires and respects him. He wants Driver to acknowledge him, and becomes increasingly angry that Driver doesn’t give him respect. Throughout the film, you witness him progressively going off the deep end.”
When casting the role of Killer, the filmmakers assumed they would find another big-name actor to round out the male lead triangle. But they were blown away by a virtually unknown British actor named Oliver Jackson-Cohen. “Oliver came in to read and really nailed the part,” remembers Teitel. “He never played a scene the same way twice – he always gave a little variation.”
Though the character was not originally written as a Brit, Tony Gayton loved what the difference in cultural backstory could bring to the character. “It added another layer of strangeness to Killer. You wouldn’t normally think of an English hit man out in the middle of the desert.”
Jackson-Cohen was intrigued by Killer and the opportunity to show a different side of a hitman’s life. “I remember reading the script and thinking it was the first time I recall a movie dealing with a hitman carrying out a hit while simultaneously having to live with himself and deal with repercussions in his personal life.”
“Oliver has done a tremendous job with the character,” says Johnson. “It’s not an easy character to play, especially considering the character is on-and-off medication.”
The male cast list is rounded out by a number of well-known, talented actors including Academy Award-nominee Tom Berenger (most recently seen in Inception), Mike Epps (Lottery Ticket), and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (“Lost”).
Faster (2010)
Directed by: George Tillman Jr.
Starring: Carla Gugino, Dwayne Johnson, Maggie Grace, Moon Bloodgood, Billy Bob Thornton, Courtney Gains, Xander Berkeley, Aaron Behr, Jeff Daniel Phillips, John Cirigliano, Jonna Walsh
Screenplay by: Joe Gayton, Tony Gayton
Production Design by: David Lazan
Cinematography by: Michael Grady
Film Editing by: Dirk Westervelt
Costume Design by: Salvador Pérez Jr.
Set Decoration by: Jan Pascale
Art Direction by: Andrew Murdock
Music by: Clint Mansell
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, some drug use and language.
Distributed by: CBS Films
Release Date: November 24, 2010