Based on the novel ‘Foregone’ by Russell Banks
Synopsis
Leonard Fife, one of the sixty thousand deserters and draft dodgers who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam, shares all his secrets to demystify his mythologized life. This is the second time Paul Schrader has directed one of Banks’ novels for the big screen, following his adaptation of Affliction (1997).
Well, you’d be wrong
Referenced in Film Junk Podcast: Episode 961: In a Violent Nature + TIFF 2024 (2024). With a cast of actors as good as Richard Gere, Uma Thurman, and Michael Imperioli, you’d think you’d have the star power to create a better film than this.
Paul Schrader goes “experimental” in a film that looks like something a first-year film student would make
Schrader claims to have been friends with the anti-war protester/filmmaker whose life story this movie is based on, but with friends like that, who needs enemies? Richard Gere’s character becomes increasingly unlikeable and gradually loses the ability to express himself with words as he rages at everyone around him, mumbling as he descends into darkness.
In other words, he becomes what Paul Schrader is today
Do yourself a favor and skip this one – even on streaming I can’t imagine it’s better if you can pause it and leave the room to do more important things than watch this sad excuse for a movie.