It’s man vs. company in Dark Waters, the latest from director Todd Haynes.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: when a lowly farmer begins losing cattle in alarming numbers, he enlists the help of a sympathetic lawyer who uncovers a pollution scheme orchestrated by one of the biggest chemical companies in the world. Sound familiar? It probably does because environmental regulations are rarely a top priority for companies, so instances of widespread pollution is fairly common. What stands out about this real-life case is that a corporate defense attorney (aka one of the people usually protecting said companies) is the one helping out the little guy.
Corporate law and labyrinthine investigations aren’t the usual fare for Haynes, but he’s shown plenty of range in his illustrious career. From pioneering New Queer Cinema to giving us the experimental biopic I’m Not There, it’s hard to say any film would be surprising from him, but a straightforward historical film? That just might be the most surprising turn her could make, and his presence gives one hope that this might not be as familiar as it seems.
Headlining the film is the always dependable Mark Ruffalo, who pulled off a very similar role in Spotlight. Joining him is a stellar supporting cast including Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Camp, and Victor Garber.
An intriguing group of people, to be sure. Let’s hope they do something interesting with this story.
Dark Waters is directed by Todd Haynes and stars Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, and Tim Robbins. It will be released in the US on November 22nd, 2019 and in the UK on January 24th, 2020. For international release dates, click here.
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