Hollywood routinely leans on "ripped from the headlines" stories for TV procedurals.
Those endless "Law & Order" spin-offs thrive on them. The "takes" often hail from the Left. Sometimes the far-Left.
Feature films do the same, but they take longer to percolate. So while programs like "The PItt" have tackled ICE-related issues, we haven't seen films directly tackle the immigration enforcers.
That's about to change.
TMZ broke the news that The Daily Wire is currently filming an ICE-related project in Montana. The film, tentatively titled, "Pawn Shop," will likely take a more pro-ICE angle given The Daily Wire's political leanings.
There's even a scene that echoes the death of Renee Good after an ICE agent shot her in self-defense.
The Left already is clutching its pearls over the project, sight unseen. And "Pawn Shop" will likely reflect the web site's ideological views. We know no other project will do the same.
A separate film on the subject looks both interesting and unpredictable.
Director Ari Aster is reportedly seeking a variety of perspectives on his next film, tentatively dubbed "Scapegoat." The film, set to begin production next month, stars a heady cast including Scarlett Johansson, Jude Law and Jacob Elordi.
We knew little about Aster's plans, but World of Reel shares news of a casting call tied to the project.
...producers looking for actors to portray "Anti-ICE protestors," "Victims of ICE arrest," "ICE agents," and "Hispanic kids age 6-13 OK to portray victims arrested by ICE agents." The casting calls are also looking for actors to play a "Histologist," a "Forensic technician in autopsy room," and "Medical nurse & doctor types."
Oh, my ... or Uh, oh?
Maybe the former.
Aster's last film, "Eddington," bombed in theaters. The movie earned mixed to glowing reviews, but the content of the film is what matters. "Eddington" explored hot-button issues like the COVID-19 pandemic and BLM's rise in 2020. What caught many off guard is how Aster approached those subjects.
No lectures. No hard-Left storytelling. Just complex, nuanced characters whose lives intersected with these social movements. One of the film's biggest laughs came when a father mocked his naive teen for his silly woke world view. Aster also painted a key character, played by Joaquin Phoenix, as both dim-witted and anti-mask.
"Eddington" didn't pick sides in major culture war dustups. In short, Aster treated audiences like grown-ups and didn't ladle out storytelling propaganda.
Most filmmakers today would take an obvious approach to any ICE-related story. Aster deserves the benefit of the doubt. He's a flawed but fascinating storyteller, and he appears keen on addressing issues that speak to modern times.
We need movies like "Pawn Shop," stories that defy Hollywood groupthink and reflect the views of many silent Americans. (Hollywood will never make such stories) We also demand some of our more interesting directors, like Aster, to tackle subjects that are complex and divisive.
If he can make us think and poke holes in conversations happening on the Left and the Right, all the better.
