Watch Jessica Chastain & James McAvoy Break New Ground With ‘Eleanor Rigby’
Jessica Chastain is having herself one heck of a week.
First, it was announced Monday that the Zero Dark Thirty actress is being honored as Actress Of The Year at the Ischia Global Film & Music Fest. Then, the trailer for Chastain’s ground breaking new rom-com The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby hit the internet to tremendous buzz.
Eleanor Rigby, starring Jessica and James McAvoy is a twist on the familiar boy meets girl, girl meets boy story. According to People Magazine, “[Director Ned] Benson shot the movie from three different point of views – “Him,” “Her” and “Them” – to create three totally different films.”
The two-minute long trailer opens with McAvoy and Chastain exchanging looks in a classroom before James, emulating a seventh grader passing notes, asks another student if he’d mind passing a folded piece of paper to “the girl with red hair.” From there our love story – and closer a look into how the film was shot – begins.
“You’re sopping wet,” Jessica’s Eleanor tells McAvoy, as the two snuggle up close inside James’ car. His character, named Conor, asks, “you noticed that?” before the words “there are two sides to every story” fades into view. The following clip then repeats the same scene, but this time from McAvoy’s point of view. Chastain repeats her line, “you’re sopping wet.” But this time, James more sarcastically replies, “Oh, you noticed that? Thank you.”
An ominous voiceover takes over from there.
“Everyone starts out thinking this is forever, but then things get hard,” the narrator explains.
And what starts as a fairy tale romance quickly evolves into a mystery. Conor wakes up to discover Eleanor has gone missing.
“I can’t do this anymore,” Jessica’s voice is heard while McAvoy scans an empty room for his lover. From that point, the movie splits completely into two points of view, Chastain’s running away and taking comfort with her family and McAvoy desperately trying to find her.
The film, written and directed by Ned Benson, also stars Bill Hader, William Hurt and Oscar winner Viola Davis. According to The Hollywood Reporter, “the Oscar hopeful, which The Weinstein Co. picked up after the well-received premiere of its two versions at last year’s Toronto Film Festival, was presented as one film at Cannes last month.”
The film’s Italian premiere will take place at the aforementioned Ischia Global Film & Music Fest where Chastain will be honored along with 12 Years a Slave‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor from July 12-20.
The Disappearance Of Eleanor Rigby, starring Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy is set for release in the US on September 26.
