“I am not a racist. I hate all people – equally.”
So says Woody Harrelson’s character in the new film, Rampart. That statement might not be entirely true, but it makes for a good premise – and does capture the essence of the rogue cop, “Dave Brown.” The first plot point takes place when Harrelson’s character is caught on camera savagely beating a driver who crashed into Brown’s police car then tried to escape on foot. From that point onward, we watch the man slide down the empty walls of his life as he tries to cling on to any and every shred he can. He searches for love and trust: from his two ex-wives (who are sisters) and his daughters (one from each of the sisters), to women picked up in bars.
This movie reunites Harrelson with director Oren Moverman and actor and co-producer Ben Foster, who joins Bob in-studio to discuss the story and the production of it. Foster says it was difficult to watch his friend disintegrate on screen and off. The three also teamed up to make The Messenger – another film-de-force in which Harrelson shined (in a desperate, sad way). This go round, the crew is bolstered by an A-list cast: Sigourney Weaver, Robin Wright, Steve Buscemi, Cynthia Nixon, Anne Heche, Ned Beatty, and Ice Cube. But don’t be fooled: this film is about one man. Well, maybe two. Both the actor and the character merit much attention.