Earlier this year I was able to watch Back Roads at Tribeca Film Festival, and it had a big impact. For Alex Pettyfer’s directorial debut, it was a stunner. He also plays the lead, young and noble Harley Altmyer, who is forced to care for his three sisters when his mother goes to jail for the murder of has father.
I was also on the red carpet, and was able to have a quick chat with Jennifer Morrison, who plays the married women he begins an affair with. For my Tribeca coverage click here.
Now, with its theatrical and VOD release, I was able to speak with Alex Pettyfer about what it was like directing for the first time, how much this project meant to him, and his take on the story.
This is Kristy Strouse with Film Inquiry. Congrats on the film, I was lucky enough to screen it at Tribeca and I thought it was very powerful and an impressive debut.
Alex Pettyfer: Thank you!
When did you first discover Tawny Odell’s novel?
Alex Pettyfer: I picked up the script and the novel ten years ago when I was an actor going up for the film. Adrian Lynne wrote the script – he did Fatal Attraction and one of my favorites 9 1/2 Weeks, and I fell in love with the script. Then ten years later, I got the courage to go back and ask if I could help produce the film because I just wanted to see it come to life, come to fruition. Then it kind of happened organically, the role of being a part of the film as an actor. My intention was never to be in the film and direct it, I just wanted to see it being made, and when I was asked to be in it I thought it was actually a joke (laughs) from the other producer. Harley was 19 or 20, and here it is ten years later, and I was given the great opportunity to direct the film which is like a dream come true. So, that’s how it all came about.
So, it was really a passion project for you?
Alex Pettyfer: Not even a passion project because I think of a passion project as something you’ve created and written, it’s just something that I couldn’t get out of my mind. I think the dynamic of what was going on in the world today helped, and also, I was so driven to want to make the film. There are such empowering characters in the film. It is an all-female cast apart from me and Robert Patrick and I just loved the dynamic of that world, people interacting and how they react to people and scenarios.
It is really a story about abuse and family. There’s some dark and very real stories. It makes for a difficult viewing experience at times but it’s very potent. What was it about the story in particular that interested you?
Alex Pettyfer: I think particularly the characters and the journey of Harley. When you read the book, it’s a little like American Psycho, there’s moments where you’re repulsed by what he’s writing and then there are moments where you’re laughing at the black comedy of things and the book is very similar to that. I didn’t want to tell that story and that’s not what Adrian wrote. What I was drawn to is the realism of family, like every tragic and awful situation that happens around the world. I wanted to dive into the human psychosis, understanding how people are reacting to horrible things that are happening. So, I was very drawn to the world of Back Roads.
Let’s talk a little bit about Harley. He is honorable, conflicted, and ultimately self-sacrificing. What was your first impression of him?
Alex Pettyfer: Were you able to catch the Q&A at Tribeca?
No, I missed that! I just saw the press screening.
Alex Pettyfer: Well, someone asked if Harley had a bit of Asperger’s and I said “What?” And they said it’s because of the way he reacts to things. I think it was the trauma that this guy has and it’s funny that we go through life experiencing negative and positive, and I think it’s important that when we experience the negative that we learn and grow from it, adapt. I think at a young age when you don’t have the influence of other people to help you grow and support, you can go to a very numb place. I know that from personal experiences in my life, I’ve had great support and times where I haven’t had great support and I think my thing with Harley is: here’s a man that is really down and out and doesn’t know where to look. I thought it was interesting to see or discover a man realizing the only way to get out of the bottomless pit he is in is to self-sacrifice, and he’s really come to that realization, what seems to be the end of his existence in the outside world.
You were incredible in this film. I thought that this and The Strange Ones earlier this year was some of your best work. Were there any challenges being both lead and director?
Alex Pettyfer: Do you think it’s my best work because I don’t have lights firing out of my hands or because I’m not wearing a thong? (Laughs)
[Laughs] I’d say it’s more emotional…let’s put it that way.
Alex Pettyfer: Because I do think Magic Mike and I Am Number Four are fantastic.
I enjoyed them! Magic Mike is terrific, and I’m not gonna lie, I thought I Am Number Four was quite fun.
Alex Pettyfer: It was fun. I think when people say “I think thats your best work” it’s not necessarily as an actor, it’s like what you’re given as an actor. It’s like if you’re a race car driver and you are given a second rate car and you have to race against a Ferrari, you can only go so fast in the car that you’re given. And, I think for me, I’ve been so blessed and fortunate to work with amazing directors and I think what’s amazing for any actor is that very few actors start off like Timothy Chalamet, who I think is brilliant, and regress. They only get better and better.
It’s amazing that when I was a young actor and didn’t really have any experience in the film industry, to be able to work with Steven Soderbergh and Lee Daniels, you don’t only grow as a human being working with these innovators, your respect and understanding for the work grows too, so your true voice and what you want to do as an actor changes. Because if you were to ask me if I would’ve done The Strange Ones when I was twenty years of age then my answer probably would’ve been no, but to go and work with Lauren and Chris was a life-changing experience for me. If I hadn’t worked with them then I probably would’ve have done Back Roads as a director. I don’t know if I answered your question, I went on a bit of a tangent there. [Laughs]
No! I love tangents, it’s perfect. And I agree! As you grow and have more experience, work with great directors like you said, things are going to change. But on this particular movie you were very emotional the entire time, it’s very intense, and I was just wondering if it was difficult to direct yourself in moments like these.
Alex Pettyfer: Yeah, I wasn’t really directing myself. Like I said, the greatest thing about working is with people like Jennifer Morrison and Juliette and all the other people on the set. I had a great support system, and as a director when you’re in the scene and acting, as long as you know what you’re doing camera-wise, and I had Jarin Blaschke, who did The Witch, who is an incredible cinematographer, when you’re in it – it’s kind of amazing.
I knew when the scene was working and when it wasn’t working and whether the interaction you’re having with the other person is authentic or not. When you’re just directing, and I only have two scenes where I’m not in the shot, I kind of felt so removed that I wasn’t in the scene and directing. So, the directing and acting kind of go hand in hand when you have a great support system.
That’s great! And there are a lot of terrific filming choices that you make throughout the film, some of the shots, like the one through the window or in the prison. Was there a certain intention you were going for? As far as the look of the film?
Alex Pettyfer: Just a claustrophobic, almost sort of like a voyeur kind of feeling, ya know? If you noticed, in the prison scene, you don’t have a door on the other side of Juliette. Even though in the cafeteria you’re doing two shots. You’re primarily starting through Harley’s visual of her, when she’s walking in.
When she slams against the glass, you’re on the other side of the glass. So, as an audience you are not inside the prison until the very end. Even with Betty at the end, you’re from her perspective looking at him through the cage and finally you go inside the prison with him. So, as an audience you feel you’re going to prison with him. And so everything has been through his perspective or the perspective onlooking.
I wish I could take full credit but that’s really me and Jarin. I mean, that shot through the window, with the fire, when he’s burning the couch, Jarin came up with that. And kudos to him, that’s probably one of my favorite shots within the film. We obviously did have our differences, I wanted to do one shot take of me and Juliette Lewis inside the prison, which we ended up doing – and it works pretty well, but it’s a collaboration.
Yeah! And that scene with Juliette is amazing, it is especially heart-wrenching. The cast were all perfect, did you have her or anyone else in mind from the beginning?
Alex Pettyfer: I was very, very fortunate to get who I got for a first time director, [laughs] when you’ve never shot a frame of film before. And have something to show for it. To get Jennifer Morrison, Robert Patrick and Juliette Lewis, Nicola Peltz and all the people we got. I mean, I can’t believe I got them. I didn’t really have an idea of what I wanted, and I really thought I was going to be working with limited resources and I felt very blessed with all the people I did get.
And now that you’ve worked on the other side of the camera do you think it’s what you want to pursue? Do you see more directing in your future?
Alex Pettyfer: Yeah, I’d love to carry on! It’s so hard to make a film, but yeah I’m working right now on writing my film that I want to direct next which takes place in the ’70s in Serbia so…
Quite a bit different?
Alex Pettyfer: Yeah, [laughs] very different. But I should finish that script by the end of the year and hopefully make it sometime next year.
Is there anything else you’re working on acting-wise?
Alex Pettyfer: I was just in Neil Labutes show The I-Land for Netflix and then I start filming a movie with Michael Shannon called Echo Boomers in January. And I do another film called Warning next year. I have a very busy first quarter. I think I’m doing four or five films back to back so…I don’t think I’ve worked so much in my life. I think I had only done about ten films in my life before [laughs].
I’d say! Well, we look forward to all of those! It has been great talking to you, it was one of my favorites walking out of Tribeca. Congrats again!
Alex Pettyfer: Thanks! That means a lot, hopefully we will talk again in the future!
We want to thank Alex Pettyfer for taking the time to speak with us.
Back Roads can currently be streamed on VOD.
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