Forum Views ()
Forum Replies ()
Read more with google mobile :
Sean Penn plays catatonic Goth rocker in Cannes
|
Edition:
U.S.
Article
Comments (0)
Editor's Choice
Schwarzenegger halts Hollywood return after scandal
Predictor of May 21 doomsday to watch it on TV
Hamilton implicates Lance Armstrong and admits to doping
Much-loved Paris shopping shrine to become hotel
It's a country, teen finale for "American Idol"
Jamie McCourt seeks immediate sale of the Dodgers
Whistleblower says Russian troops fed dog food
In a first, Venezuela suspends driver's license
Video: China opens first dog food bakery
Slideshow: Controversial celebrity rants
Follow Reuters
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
YouTube
Read
Netanyahu: U.S. "does not understand reality"
|
11:27am EDT
Media zoom in on mystery Schwarzenegger mistress
|
18 May 2011
Analysis: France caught between denial, anger and grief over DSK
6:18am EDT
Whistleblower says Russian troops fed dog food
19 May 2011
Wall Street down on euro zone worries, technicals
10:20am EDT
Discussed
103
Texas county official says ”stupid” feds sparked fire
81
Israel-Palestinian violence erupts on three borders
68
Boehner says ready to cut budget deal today
Watched
Arnold Schwarzenegger's mystery woman identified
Thu, May 19 2011
End of the world as we know it...on May 21
Wed, May 18 2011
Acting IMF chief lays out strategy
4:06am EDT
Sean Penn plays catatonic Goth rocker in Cannes
Tweet
Share this
By Mike Collett-White
CANNES (Reuters) - Sean Penn plays a catatonic Goth rocker in "This Must Be the Place," a strange tale that follows retired pop star Cheyenne from a life of luxury in Ireland to a hunt for a World War Two Nazi camp guard in the...
Email
Print
Related News
Cannes expels "shocked" Von Trier for Hitler remarks
Thu, May 19 2011
Danish director says "shocked" by Cannes expulsion
Thu, May 19 2011
Almodovar catches Cannes off guard with horror film
Thu, May 19 2011
Director apologizes for Nazi, Hitler jokes in Cannes
Wed, May 18 2011
Warm welcome at Cannes for Gibson's "The Beaver"
Tue, May 17 2011
Analysis & Opinion
Baby, you said a mouthful!
The prestigious Zippo Award goes to…
Related Topics
Entertainment »
Fashion »
Film »
Ireland »
Cast member Sean Penn poses during a photocall for the film ''This Must Be The Place'', by director Paolo Sorrentino in competition at the 64th Cannes Film Festival, May 20, 2011.
Credit: Reuters/Jean-Paul Pelissier
By Mike Collett-White
CANNES |
Fri May 20, 2011 8:07am EDT
CANNES (Reuters) - Sean Penn plays a catatonic Goth rocker in "This Must Be the Place," a strange tale that follows retired pop star Cheyenne from a life of luxury in Ireland to a hunt for a World War Two Nazi camp guard in the United States.
The movie, directed by Italian Paolo Sorrentino, is in competition at the Cannes film festival, which sought to get back to normality Friday after the shock expulsion of Denmark's Lars Von Trier for joking he was a Hitler sympathizer.
Penn's hang-dog face is heavily made up with white foundation, smeared red lipstick and black eyeliner, and, with his frizzed black hair, his character brings to mind The Cure's frontman Robert Smith and Ozzy Osbourne.
Matching the unfamiliar look is Penn's stilted gait and high-pitched, camp voice, with which he delivers short phrases that express disillusionment with the world.
The sense of despair and inertia only lifts as he leaves a quiet domestic life in Dublin with his wife, played by Frances McDormand, and sets out on a quest to avenge the man who had humiliated his Jewish father at a concentration camp.
Penn's appearance in the film was the result of a meeting with Sorrentino three years ago in Cannes, when the double Oscar winner was president of the jury and the director's movie "Il Divo" picked up the jury prize.
HIGH PRAISE FOR SORRENTINO
Asked why he took on the role of Cheyenne, Penn replied: "There's a certain kind of whimsy (about Sorrentino's movies). There's a sense of the world that feels right but I hadn't seen it articulated in the way he does.
"He makes fast movies about slow people and funny movies about sad people. He's got a humanity that makes his movies worth seeing."
"To me this is one of the very, very few film masters going right now. As an actor you are also an appreciator with him. He played piano, I turned the pages."
Recalling their meeting in 2008, he added: "I said, 'Paolo any time, any place.'"
Music plays an important part in the film, which is named after a Talking Heads song.
The band's singer and songwriter David Byrne performs in the movie and has a small role as himself, while Cheyenne's journey of discovery across America reawakens his passion for the profession that made him rich and famous.
"I think that rock and roll has a place that is very important, because it counters what I think has kind of become the disease of polite society," said Penn.
The actor said the film's theme of vengeance had recently been reflected in the United States, where the killing of Osama Bin Laden had met with varying responses including from people who "emotionally get taken away with it."
On shooting in Ireland, he added: "It's suffered a tremendous recession. It's a picture of an economic problem that's been spinning around the world ... Ireland's greatest natural resource is naturally the Irish."
(Editing by Steve Addison)
Entertainment
Fashion
Film
Ireland
Tweet this
Link this
Share this
Digg this
Email
Reprints
We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language, all capital letters or appear to be spam, and we review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters.
Comments (0)
Be the first to comment on reuters.com.
Add yours using the box above.
Social Stream (What's this?)
© Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters
Editorial Editions:
Africa
Arabic
Argentina
Brazil
Canada
China
France
Germany
India
Italy
Japan
Latin America
Mexico
Russia
Spain
United Kingdom
United States
Reuters
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Help
Journalism Handbook
Archive
Site Index
Video Index
Reader Feedback
Mobile
Newsletters
RSS
Podcasts
Widgets
Your View
Analyst Research
Thomson Reuters
Copyright
Disclaimer
Privacy
Professional Products
Professional Products Support
Financial Products
About Thomson Reuters
Careers
Online Products
Acquisitions Monthly
Buyouts
Venture Capital Journal
International Financing Review
Project Finance International
PEhub.com
PE Week
FindLaw
Super Lawyers Attorney Rating Service
Reuters on Facebook
Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. Thomson Reuters journalists are subject to an Editorial Handbook which requires fair presentation and disclosure of relevant interests.
NYSE and AMEX quotes delayed by at least 20 minutes. Nasdaq delayed by at least 15 minutes. For a complete list of exchanges and delays, please click here.
Other News on Friday, 20 May 2011 Bahrain wants to expand military bases
|
Europe's south bashes Merkel for work harder quip
|
Facebook looks at China, Zuckerberg packs bags
|
Verizon eyes family data plans
|
Facebook, Apple pressed on kids' mobile privacy
|
Analysis: Uphill fight for Baidu, China censorship lawsuit
|
Walmart eager on tablets, expands wireless focus
|
European start-ups shy away from IPO frenzy
|
Witch hunt or wise move? Cannes ponders expulsion
|
Titanic to be released in 3D in theaters worldwide
|
Plan B scoops three UK Ivor Novello music awards
|
Pakistan Taliban says it attacked U.S. consulate convoy
|
Gaddafi's departure from Libya inevitable, Obama says
|
Obama and Netanyahu face tense meeting on Mideast
|
North Korea's heir apparent goes on show in China-reports
|
Qantas flight returns to Bangkok after engine shutdown
|
More than 640 hurt in South Africa train crash
|
Afghanistan, West hope farming will crush Taliban, poppy lure
|
China to expedite delivery of 50 fighter jets to Pakistan: WSJ
|
Last WWI veteran laid to rest in military funeral
|
Obama says Syria's Assad must reform or go
|
Verizon eyes family data plans
|
Playboy archives entire magazine online
|
China Telecom in touch with Apple on CDMA iPhone: chairman
|
It's a country, teen finale for American Idol
|
Schwarzenegger halts Hollywood return after scandal
|
Fans cheer Stephen Fry casting in Hobbit movie
|
U.S. audiences treated to new TV shows, that feel old
|
Saleh calls for early election as Yemenis protest
|
China says detained artist Ai Weiwei's company evaded taxes
|
Spain government rethinks ban as youth protests grow
|
ANC wins South Africa local polls
|
Belarus court sentences two Lukashenko challengers
|
Ahmadinejad oil ministry move illegal: Iran watchdog
|
Sony hacked again
|
Sony may resume U.S.-based online games on Tuesday: report
|
Panasonic sees tough year as quake aftermath hampers
|
Nokia picks Qualcomm for Windows phone, seeks others
|
China Telecom in touch with Apple on CDMA iPhone
|
Director's shame casts pall over classy Cannes
|
AmfAR gala raises $10 mln, Cannes parties wind down
|
Blood, fuel power Gosling debut at Cannes festival
|
Sean Penn plays catatonic Goth rocker in Cannes
|
Exhibitions: Tracey Emin's adults-only retrospective
|
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights