Toronto the Good: Film Festival 2010: Clint's back in town after 20 yrs

Eastwood tackles death in 'Hereafter'

By LIZ BRAUN, QMI AGENCY

Toronto Sun, Article last Updated: September 13, 2010 12:40pm

Here's my pick from the avalanche of publicity cranked out by the Toronto International Film Festival, read "international" as "American."

 Clint Eastwood, the man with a zero bull---t level, has returned to the Toronto International Film Festival for the first time in 20 years.

Not since he brought White Hunter, Black Heart to our town in 1990 has the legendary filmmaker been part of the festival, but he was in Toronto yesterday to introduce his latest movie, Hereafter, a drama about the human struggle to understand death and its aftermath. The movie, which stars Matt Damon, Bryce Dallas Howard and Cecile De France, was a gala presentation Sunday night.

Hereafter concerns three disparate people — a woman who has a near-death experience, a child who cannot get over the death of a loved one and a man with a special connection to the afterlife. Their stories are slowly woven together.

Eastwood — stopping to spontaneously play the piano for a moment at a downtown hotel — brought Matt Damon with him to this interview.

Damon talked about the experience of working on Hereafter with Eastwood, with whom he also worked on Invictus. “He is an actor, so he knows a lot about it, and he gives the kind of direction he’d want as an actor,” said Damon. Searching for the right words, he continued, “He’s been acting longer than, longer than —”

“Don’t say God,” growled Eastwood, cheerfully.

“I was going to say, longer than most of the actors he’s working with. So he knows what’s helpful and what isn’t,” responded Damon, laughing. 

There's lots more to read, so click the Sun link.


And while you're at it, you may enjoy another gossipy note from Marie-Joelle Parent who went to the Eastwood after-party -- Matt Damon, star of Hereafter, was dutifully there too.  Kevin Spacey.  And ... and .. Zach Galifianakis ... who's he?, I wonder.


Playing on my TV at the moment is Clinto's masterpiece, Absolute Power.  Rich in irony.