Adam Christian Clark | |
|---|---|
 Clark at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival | |
| Born | December 20, 1980 |
| Alma mater | USC School of Cinematic Arts |
| Occupation(s) | Film director, screenwriter, editor |
| Years active | 2002–present |
| Notable work | Caroline and Jackie, Newly Single, Diary of a Spy |
Adam Christian Clark is an American film director, screenwriter, editor, and actor [1] whose films have been noted for their naturalistic dialogue and style. [2] [3]
Adam Christian Clark was raised in Seattle, Washington.[ citation needed ]
Clark attended the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts. [4] While still a student, he worked as a director on the CBS network television series Big Brother. [5] He then worked as a roster director at Quentin Tarantino and Lawrence Bender's production company A Band Apart, [6] where he wrote and directed television, music videos, and commercials. Clark has worked with such artists as Kanye West, [4] Jackie Chan, Gnarls Barkley, Lupe Fiasco, [4] and Girl Talk.
Clark spent 2006 in Shanghai, writing and directing Mainland China's first reality television series. [7] In 2008, Clark collaborated on two projects with author Charlie LeDuff: The Editor, a short film starring Richard Riehle based on LeDuff's career at The New York Times , and Bag Men, a feature screenplay written for Plan B Entertainment. [8] In 2009, Clark returned to China to shoot Goodbye Shanghai, a short film he also wrote about Western spies working as international bankers in Shanghai. The film received several national and international festival awards. [9]
Clark's first feature film Caroline and Jackie premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, and was met with positive reviews. [10] John Anderson of Variety said, "Displaying nerves of steel and a generous heart, helmer Adam Christian Clark takes a lot of chances with Caroline and Jackie, a tale of troubled sisters that keeps the viewer off balance throughout before delivering a payoff that serves as both catharsis and absolution. While it does make demands of its audience, the cumulative emotional impact is startling". [11] The film was theatrically released by Phase 4 Films in 2013. [12]
Clark's second feature film Newly Single , premiered in the main competition of the 2017 edition of PÖFF, and was Clark's first time acting in a feature film. [1] [13] The New York Times described the film as a dark comedy “probing the sexual and professional misadventures of a struggling filmmaker.” [14] The film was released in 2018 by Gravitas Ventures and, as of 2024, holds an 88% "Fresh" rating from the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes. [15] [16]
Clark's third feature film Diary of a Spy was released by XYZ Films in mid 2022. Diary of a Spy marks Clark's first foray into a genre space with mixed reviews. As of 2024, the film has a 57% "Rotten" rating from Rotten Tomatoes. [17] Josh Bell from Crooked Marquee commented, "Clark seems determined to drain all possible suspense and excitement from the spy genre," while Shelagh Rowan-Legg wrote for Screen Anarchy, "Diary of a Spy takes us into this dark, dangerous world via an often neglected side door, probing this story with observations on human vulnerability and the price of exploiting it." [18] [19]
While an undergraduate film student at USC, Clark became close friends with his professor, cinematographer William A. Fraker. Clark accredits Fraker as an influence for hard lighting and formalistic production design. [20]
Clark has attributed strong influence to the American New Wave [4] [21] film movement, and directors John Cassavetes, [4] and Robert Altman. [2]
Clark's films are very character driven, and often explore themes centered around family, isolation, and modern dating. [22] [23] [24]
When asked to describe his style in a 2012 interview with IndieWire, Clark stated, "Stylistically my number one goal at all stages of production is for the narrative to always maintain the highest level of reality possible. My hope would be that the camera, the lighting, the sound, the performances, and my own ego will go as unnoticed as possible, and that you may feel, if just for a moment, that you are watching your own family interact." [25]
Heather Joan Graham is an American actress. After appearing in television commercials, her first starring role in a feature film came with the teen comedy License to Drive (1988), followed by the critically acclaimed film Drugstore Cowboy (1989). She then played supporting roles on the television series Twin Peaks (1991), and in films such as Six Degrees of Separation (1993) and Swingers (1996). She gained critical praise for her role as "Rollergirl" in the film Boogie Nights (1997). This led to major roles in the comedy films Bowfinger and Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
Richard Stuart Linklater is an American film director, producer, and screenwriter. He is known for making films that deal thematically with suburban culture and the effects of the passage of time. His films include the comedies Slacker (1990) and Dazed and Confused (1993); the Before trilogy of romance films: Before Sunrise (1995), Before Sunset (2004), and Before Midnight (2013); the music-themed comedy School of Rock (2003); the adult animated films Waking Life (2001), A Scanner Darkly (2006), and Apollo 10 1⁄2: A Space Age Childhood (2022); the coming-of-age drama Boyhood (2014); and the comedy film Everybody Wants Some!! (2016).
House of D is a 2004 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by David Duchovny in his directorial debut. The film stars Duchovny, Anton Yelchin, Téa Leoni, Erykah Badu, Frank Langella, Zelda Williams and Robin Williams. It was screened at the 2004 Tribeca Film Festival.
Untamed Heart is a 1993 American romantic drama film directed by Tony Bill, written by Tom Sierchio, and starring Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei. It tells the story of an unlikely romance between a young woman unlucky in love and a shy young man who has a heart defect. The original music score was composed by Cliff Eidelman, and includes a classical arrangement of "Nature Boy". A remix of the 1987 Suzanne Vega song "Tom's Diner" is featured in the opening scene.
Mission: Impossible is a series of American action spy films, based on the 1966 TV series created by Bruce Geller. The series is mainly produced by and stars Tom Cruise, who plays Ethan Hunt, an agent of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF). The films have been directed, written, and scored by various filmmakers and crew, while incorporating musical themes from the original series by Lalo Schifrin.
Monogamy is a 2010 film directed and co-written by Dana Adam Shapiro. It is about the strained relationship of an engaged Brooklyn couple, Theo and Nat. Monogamy premiered April 24, 2010 at the Tribeca Film Festival and was given a limited theatrical release on March 11, 2011.
Side by Side is a 2012 American documentary film directed by Christopher Kenneally. It was produced by Justin Szlasa and Keanu Reeves. It premiered at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival and it was shown at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Caroline and Jackie is a 2013 arthouse drama film written and directed by Adam Christian Clark.
The Rewrite is a 2014 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Marc Lawrence. It stars Hugh Grant as a washed-up screenwriter who begins teaching at Binghamton University, and Marisa Tomei as a single mother with whom the screenwriter finds romance. It began development at Castle Rock Entertainment in October 2012, and filming began in New York in April 2013.
The Adderall Diaries is a 2015 American crime drama film written and directed by Pamela Romanowsky, based on a "true-crime memoir" book of the same name by Stephen Elliott. The film stars James Franco, Ed Harris, Amber Heard and Christian Slater.
Nas: Time Is Illmatic is a 2014 documentary film directed by One9 and produced by One9, Erik Parker and Anthony Saleh. The film recounts the circumstances leading up to Nas' 1994 debut album Illmatic. Released on the 20th anniversary of Illmatic, the film includes interviews with Nas, his brother and father, and figures from the East Coast hip hop scene. Nas: Time Is Illmatic premiered during the opening night of the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival, on April 16, 2014. The project received a grant from Tribeca All Access and additional funding from the Ford Foundation.
King Jack is a 2015 American coming-of-age adventure drama film written and directed by Felix Thompson in his directorial debut. The film stars Charlie Plummer, Cory Nichols, Christian Madsen, Daniel Flaherty, Erin Davie and Chloe Levine, and follows a 15-year-old boy who befriends his introverted cousin while facing off against a sadistic school bully.
Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop is a 2015 American documentary film directed and produced by Erin Lee Carr. The film follows Gilberto Valle, a former NYPD cop was charged with conspiring to kidnap and eat women.
Newly Single is a 2017 American arthouse meta dark comedy film written and directed by Adam Christian Clark.
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After Class is a 2019 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Daniel Schechter and starring Justin Long, Kate Berlant, Lynn Cohen, Michael Godere, Fran Drescher and Richard Schiff. It premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, and was released in theaters on December 6, 2019.
Lady Boss: The Jackie Collins Story is a 2021 American-British documentary film, directed by Laura Fairrie. It follows the life and career of Jackie Collins.
Ascension is a 2021 American documentary film directed and produced by Jessica Kingdon. It follows the pursuit of the Chinese dream through the social classes, prioritizing productivity and innovation.
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Diary of a Spy is a 2022 American arthouse spy romance film written and directed by Adam Christian Clark, starring Tamara Taylor, Reece Noi, and Fred Melamed.