Despite receiving less-than-stellar reviews, the new thriller starring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx took the #2 spot at the box office this past weekend, bringing in more than $20 million. According to Butler, who also produced Law Abiding Citizen, a last-minute change ended up making for a very different movie.
Law Abiding Citizen tells the story of a father (Butler) who seeks violent revenge against the criminals who murdered his family and the district attorney (Foxx) who lets them off easy. Butler, who was initially going to play the D.A., became fascinated with exploring the character arc of the father and switched roles with Foxx.
Initially, I was playing the prosecutor and just before the movie started, I swapped over because I had such a fascination with him. But it was always my argument and my purpose that at a certain point in the movie, Clyde turns, that he goes too far, that we have to say, as an audience, that this is too much, that we can't support you anymore. The audience has to want him to be defeated. Otherwise, I think this film really surprises you in where it goes, and the fact that you question who's the good guy and who's the bad guy really works here.
According to Foxx, the switch in roles was good for him personally and professionally, but also helped serve the needs of the movie.
Since we live in such an Internet-friendly, camera phone, video phone world, I felt that my persona had taken a little bit of a hit.... I look at the movie 300 and I want to see [Butler] whoop ass. And in this movie, the opening scene lets him do that. When he says, "I'm going to kill everybody," that's that 300 sh*t. That's awesome. That's that motherf**ker that you wanna see go get that ass.... So I thought it worked out perfect.
And, speaking of 300, will Butler return to the franchise that made him famous in Zack Snyder's planned prequel, or will he continue to make light-hearted romantic comedies like P.S. I Love You? Butler said that he's not sure on either account.
Whenever I get asked that, I honestly think of romantic comedies and want to say, "Oh, definitely. Romantic comedies. Getting the chance to make people laugh and show that side of me." Then I think about action movies and I love those, but also I'm busting my bones or grinding my joints.
Posted 10.19.09 by BrentJS