Like a cat, Louis Drax keeps surviving potentially fatal accidents. The latest is a fall from a seaside cliff, and while the boy languishes in a coma, the uncertain events leading up to the incident puts his parent’s culpability into question. His long history of accidents doesn’t reflect well on them, and the open-minded doctor treating the boy in The 9th Life of Louis Drax just might push himself too far to find the truth.
Jamie Dornan stars as the doctor, taking on another intriguing character as he breaks away from his modeling days. He’s still most recognizable for his ill-advised role in 50 Shades of Grey and its upcoming sequels, which has done nothing to convince audiences that he’s anything more than a hunky torso.
That’s a shame, because what lurks behind 50 Shades is a complex assortment of roles in television and film projects, including an eye-opening turn in The Fall. Anyone willing to write Dornan off likely hasn’t explored these smaller performances, and I’m personally interested in seeing just how far his career can go.
The 9th Life of Louis Drax should prove to be an interesting stretch for him, as the aesthetics of the trailer make it clear how weird this film is going to get. It looks like his character will go down a mental rabbit hole, and veteran horror director Alexandre Aja obviously isn’t afraid to take the audience down with him (and introduce us to a scary-looking monster). That leaves Dornan with lots of room to go big, and whether he finds the right balance or hangs himself with all that rope will be a telling glimpse at his instincts as an actor.
The project is an adaptation of the best-selling book of the same name, which was originally picked up by writer/director Anthony Minghella. His death in 2008 led to his son, Max Minghella, taking on his first screenwriting role after years working as an actor. Max previously starred in Aja’s adaptation of Horns, and that connection is what led Aja to take on the project. We’ll never know what Anthony would’ve done with this out-there material, but the personal connection makes me think that the young men who took over will have done their best to live up to his legacy.
The 9th Life of Louis Drax is directed by Alexandre Aja and stars Jamie Dornan, Aiden Longworth, and Sarah Gadon. It will be released in the U.S. and the U.K. on September 2nd, 2016. For international release dates, click here.
Do you think the adaptation will land the right tone? Let us know in the comments!
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