Fast Color

Last updated
Fast Color
Fast Color.jpeg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Julia Hart
Written by
Produced by
  • Jordan Horowitz
  • Mickey Liddell
  • Pete Shilaimon
Starring
Cinematography Michael Fimognari
Edited by Martin Pensa
Music by Rob Simonsen
Production
companies
Distributed by Lionsgate
Codeblack Films
Release dates
  • March 10, 2018 (2018-03-10)(SXSW)
  • April 19, 2019 (2019-04-19)(United States)
Running time
102 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$76,916 [1]

Fast Color is a 2018 American superhero drama film directed by Julia Hart from a screenplay by Hart and Jordan Horowitz. Horowitz produced the film along with Mickey Lidell and Pete Shilaimon. It stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lorraine Toussaint, Saniyya Sidney, Christopher Denham and David Strathairn, and tells the story of Ruth (Mbatha-Raw), a woman with supernatural powers on the run from law enforcement and scientists who want to study and control her.

Contents

The project was announced in January 2017, along with Mbatha-Raw's casting and that LD Entertainment would be fully financing the project. Principal photography began on March 13, 2017 in New Mexico and lasted for 28 days. [2]

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 10, 2018. It was released on April 19, 2019, by Lionsgate and Codeblack Films. The film received positive reviews from critics with praise directed at Mbatha-Raw's performance and its uniqueness compared to other superhero films, but with criticism aimed at the script.

A television series based on the film is in development at Amazon Studios, with Viola Davis' JuVee Productions producing, and with the film's original writers returning to script the show.

Plot

In the future American Midwest, where it has not rained for eight years, Ruth is a homeless wanderer whose seizures trigger supernatural earthquakes. As she travels to her old family home, she meets Bill, a diner customer who is actually a scientist attempting to capture Ruth for study. Bill tricks her into accepting a ride with him then attempts to draw blood samples from her, but Ruth wounds him and flees in the direction of her home. Bill is forced to seek medical aid, abandoning his vehicle, which catches the attention of the local sheriff, Ellis.

Arriving at the home, Ruth reunites with her mother Bo, who has the ability to telekinetically disintegrate objects, reassemble them, and see vibrant flashes known as "the colors". Lila mentions it's also like an after effect. Bo has been taking care of Ruth's daughter Lila, who has the same powers as Bo and has no memories of her mother. After Ruth accidentally sets off another earthquake, Lila is introduced to her and they explain that Ruth's powers deteriorated in her childhood, becoming destructive and causing her to abandon her family.

Lila and Bo attempt to train Ruth on reconnecting with her old powers, while the scientist and the sheriff investigate Ruth's trail. When Ellis discerns Ruth is back home, he covertly signals Bo, his longtime friend and lover, to warn her about the scientist that is searching for their daughter. The next morning, Bill begins heading for the women's house, and Ruth takes off in the family truck to escape him, leaving Bo and Lila behind. When she exits miles later for gasoline, her seizures return. Ruth relives the memory of her nearly drowning her then-infant daughter during a past episode, and then of saving her life, emotionally healing and causing the sky to rain again.

Ruth returns home, where Ellis informs her that Bill and his accomplices kidnapped Lila. Ruth goes to rescue her, followed by Ellis and Bo. At the sheriff's office where Lila is being held, Ruth creates a storm and panics Bill and his guards. Bo offers herself to the scientists in exchange for Lila, who is reunited with her mother. The two escape in the truck, and find a note from Bo telling them to head for Rome to find another woman that she used to know with powers.

Cast

Production

In January 2017, it was announced Gugu Mbatha-Raw had joined the cast of the film, with Julia Hart directing, from a screenplay written by Hart and Jordan Horowitz. Horowitz, Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon will produce under their Original Headquarters and LD Entertainment banners, respectively. [3] In March 2017, Lorraine Toussaint, David Strathairn, Saniyya Sidney, and Christopher Denham joined the cast of the film. [4]

Filming

Principal photography began in New Mexico on March 13, 2017 and lasted for 28 days. [5] [6]

Release

The film had its world premiere at South by Southwest on March 10, 2018. [7] [8] Shortly after, Codeblack Films acquired distribution rights to the film and set it for a March 29, 2019, release. [9] It was then pushed back to April 19, 2019, with Lionsgate now distributing the film from Codeblack Films. [1]

Critical reception

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 80% based on 87 reviews, and an average rating of 6.8/10. The website's critic consensus states: "A grounded superhero story with more on its mind than punching bad guys, Fast Color leaps over uneven execution with a singular Gugu Mbatha-Raw performance." [10] On Metacritic the film has a weighted average score of 64% based on reviews from 20 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews". [11]

Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film 31⁄2 out of 4 stars and praised Mbatha-Raw for her performance, and director Julia Hart for "genuinely moving drama, an engrossing, supernatural-sci-fi mystery and some pretty darn impressive special effects." [12] Sheri Linden of The Hollywood Reporter wrote: "Hart has fashioned a tale of matriarchal inheritance, but one whose fierce message is undercut rather than deepened by its child's-book clarity. The intriguing setup receives underpowered execution, the intended jolts landing all too softly." [13] Amy Nicholson of Variety wrote: "Ultimately, Fast Color's thesis is more inspirational than the film, which often seems like it, too, is struggling to swirl itself into something more solid. Instead, its magical sparks don’t quite congeal as the audience can’t help hoping a movie this empathetic and unusual reaches transcendence". [14]

Television series

As of 2019, a TV series based on the film was in development at Amazon Studios. The show is set to be produced by Viola Davis and Julius Tennon's company JuVee Productions, with the return of the film's writers Julia Hart and Jordan Horowitz. [15] However, as of January 2022, no further information about a forthcoming series has materialized.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lorraine Toussaint</span> Trinidadian actress (born 1960)

Lorraine Toussaint is a Trinidadian-born actress based in the United States. She is the recipient of various accolades, including a Black Reel Award, a Critics' Choice Television Award and a Screen Actors Guild Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gina Prince-Bythewood</span> American filmmaker (born 1969)

Gina Maria Prince-Bythewood is an American film director and screenwriter. She began her career as a writer for multiple television shows in the 1990s, including the anthology series CBS Schoolbreak Special, for which she was nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards. Prince-Bythewood made her feature film directorial debut with Love & Basketball (2000), for which she received an Independent Spirit Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje</span> British actor (born 1967)

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje is a British actor known for his roles as Simon Adebisi in Oz, Mr. Eko in Lost, Lock-Nah in The Mummy Returns, Nykwana Wombosi in The Bourne Identity, Heavy Duty in G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, Kurse in Thor: The Dark World, Killer Croc in Suicide Squad, Malko in the fifth season of the HBO series Game of Thrones, Dave Duerson in the NFL biopic drama Concussion, and Ogunwe in His Dark Materials.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gugu Mbatha-Raw</span> English actress (born 1983)

Gugulethu Sophia Mbatha-Raw is an English actress. She began acting at the National Youth Music Theatre and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and gained acclaim for her roles as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Octavia in Anthony and Cleopatra in 2005 at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester. She made her West End and Broadway debut portraying Ophelia in Hamlet in 2009. For her role as the titular character in Jessica Swale's 2015 play Nell Gwynn, she received an Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Actress nomination.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amma Asante</span> British actor and film director (born 1969)

Amma Asante is a British filmmaker, screenwriter, former actress, and Chancellor at Norwich University of the Arts, who was born in London, England, to parents from Ghana. Her love for the film industry started when she received her first role in BBC's children's television drama series Grange Hill. Asante wrote and produced the 1998 BBC Two television series Brothers and Sisters, starring David Oyelowo. She was a childhood friend of model Naomi Campbell, whom she met when they were seven years old.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Hardy (actor)</span> English actor (b. 1991)

Ben Hardy is an English actor. He is known for playing Peter Beale in the BBC soap opera EastEnders (2013–2015). Hardy made his film debut as Archangel in the superhero film X-Men: Apocalypse (2016) and played Roger Taylor in the biographical film Bohemian Rhapsody (2018).

<i>Beyond the Lights</i> 2014 film

Beyond the Lights is a 2014 American romantic drama film written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. The film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Nate Parker, Minnie Driver, Machine Gun Kelly, and Danny Glover. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2014, and was released theatrically in the United States on November 14, 2014. In 2015, the song "Grateful" was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

<i>An Untamed State</i> 2014 novel by Roxane Gay

An Untamed State is the debut novel of writer Roxane Gay, first published in 2014 by Grove Atlantic.

<i>A Wrinkle in Time</i> (2018 film) 2018 American science fantasy adventure film

A Wrinkle in Time is a 2018 American science fantasy adventure film directed by Ava DuVernay and written by Jennifer Lee and Jeff Stockwell, based on Madeleine L'Engle's 1962 novel of the same name. Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Whitaker Entertainment, the story follows a young girl who, with the help of three astral travelers, sets off on a quest to find her missing father. The film stars Oprah Winfrey, Reese Witherspoon, Mindy Kaling, Levi Miller, Storm Reid, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Peña, Zach Galifianakis, and Chris Pine.

Nell Gwynn is a play by the British playwright Jessica Swale, begun in 2013 and premiering at Shakespeare's Globe from 19 September to 17 October 2015. It deals with the life of Nell Gwynn, mistress of Charles II, and her part in the theatre of the 17th century. Gugu Mbatha-Raw played the title role in the production debut.

<i>Miss Sloane</i> 2016 film by John Madden

Miss Sloane is a 2016 political thriller film directed by John Madden and written by Jonathan Perera. The film stars Jessica Chastain, Mark Strong, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Stuhlbarg, Alison Pill, Jake Lacy, John Lithgow, and Sam Waterston. The film follows Elizabeth Sloane, a fierce lobbyist, who fights in an attempt to pass gun control legislation.

Saniyya Sidney is an American actress. Her accolades include nominations for three Black Reel Awards, two Critics' Choice Awards, an NAACP Image Award, and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

<i>Irreplaceable You</i> 2018 American film

Irreplaceable You is a 2018 American romantic comedy-drama film written by Bess Wohl and directed by Stephanie Laing. The film stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Michiel Huisman. It was released by Netflix on February 16, 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Damson Idris</span> British actor (born 1991)

Damson Alade-Bo Idris is an English actor. He is best known for starring on John Singleton's crime drama Snowfall, which debuted 5 July 2017 on FX and ended in 2023 after six seasons. He played the co-lead in Netflix's 2021 sci-fi action film Outside the Wire.

<i>Motherless Brooklyn</i> 2019 film by Edward Norton

Motherless Brooklyn is a 2019 American neo-noir crime film written, produced, and directed by Edward Norton, based on the 1999 novel of the same name by Jonathan Lethem. Set in 1957 New York City, the film stars Norton as a private investigator with Tourette syndrome, who is determined to solve the murder of his mentor. Motherless Brooklyn also stars Bruce Willis, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Bobby Cannavale, Cherry Jones, Alec Baldwin, Ethan Suplee and Willem Dafoe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Julia Hart (filmmaker)</span> American filmmaker (born 1982)

Julia Hart is an American filmmaker and actress. She is known for writing and directing the comedy drama Miss Stevens (2016), the superhero drama Fast Color (2018), the musical romance Stargirl (2020), and the crime thriller I'm Your Woman (2020).

<i>Come Away</i> 2020 fantasy drama film

Come Away is a 2020 fantasy drama film directed by Brenda Chapman and starring David Oyelowo, Anna Chancellor, Angelina Jolie, Clarke Peters, David Gyasi, with Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michael Caine, and Derek Jacobi. The film is an homage to the stories of Peter Pan and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The characters of those stories are siblings who try to help their parents overcome the death of their eldest son.

<i>Misbehaviour</i> (film) 2020 British film by Philippa Lowthorpe

Misbehaviour is a 2020 British comedy-drama film directed by Philippa Lowthorpe, from a screenplay by Gaby Chiappe and Rebecca Frayn, from a story by Frayn. The film stars Keira Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Jessie Buckley, Keeley Hawes, Phyllis Logan, Lesley Manville, Rhys Ifans and Greg Kinnear.

<i>Summerland</i> (2020 film) 2020 film directed by Jessica Swale

Summerland is a 2020 British drama film written and directed by Jessica Swale, starring Gemma Arterton, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Lucas Bond, Dixie Egerickx, Siân Phillips, Penelope Wilton and Tom Courtenay.

Surface is an American psychological thriller television series created by Veronica West for Apple TV+. It premiered on July 29, 2022. In December 2022, the series was renewed for a second season.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Fast Color". Box Office Mojo . Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  2. ↑ Busch, Anita (2017-01-13). "Gugu Mbatha-Raw To Star In 'Fast Color' From 'Jackie,' 'La La Land' Producers". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
  3. ↑ McNary, Dave (January 12, 2017). "Gugu Mbatha-Raw to Star in Thriller 'Fast Color' for 'La La Land,' 'Jackie' Producers (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety . Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  4. ↑ D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 15, 2017). "David Strathairn, Lorraine Toussaint & Others Join Drama Thriller 'Fast Color'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  5. ↑ Busch, Anita (March 13, 2017). "Gugu Mbatha-Raw To Star In 'Fast Color' From 'Jackie,' 'La La Land' Producers". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  6. ↑ "The anti-'Avengers': In indie gem 'Fast Color,' a powerful new superhero story is born". Los Angeles Times. 2019-04-23. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
  7. ↑ Galuppo, Mia (January 31, 2018). "SXSW: Emily Blunt's 'A Quiet Place' to Open Fest". The Hollywood Reporter . Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  8. ↑ "Fast Color". South by Southwest . Archived from the original on June 30, 2018. Retrieved March 10, 2018.
  9. ↑ N'Duka, Amanda (September 20, 2018). "Codeblack Films Nabs Rights To SXSW Pic 'Fast Color'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved September 20, 2018.
  10. ↑ "Fast Color (2018)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved May 10, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Fast Color (2019)". Metacritic . Retrieved November 15, 2019.
  12. ↑ Roeper, Richard (18 April 2019). "'Fast Color': Smart, cool story of a woman who hates her supernatural powers". Chicago Sun-Times . Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  13. ↑ "'Fast Color': Film Review". The Hollywood Reporter . February 26, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  14. ↑ Nicholson, Amy (12 March 2018). "Film Review: 'Fast Color'". Variety . Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  15. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (July 30, 2019). "'Fast Color' Series Adaptation In Works At Amazon By Viola Davis & Julius Tennon's JuVee Productions". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved July 30, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.