StalloneSylvester Stallone is back at number one with the race car flick Driven, his first US box office hit since 1993’s Cliffhanger. And while Michael Douglas spent the weekend at the Spanish Grand Prix watching races himself, his new ensemble comedy One Night At McCool’s crashed and burned, failing to crack the top ten. “It’s an enigma,” one executive said of the star-packed film’s lacklustre performance.
Stallone has been not just the brawn on screen, but also the brains behind several of his most popular movies, co-writing Cliffhanger and most of the Rocky and Rambo series. The star spent five years researching and training for the latest movie he's written, Driven, in which he plays a veteran driver mentoring an up-and-coming racing champ.
“I don't have to be the star,” Sly said. “I like the life arc of the character I play. He gets a second chance. I’ve had a lot of second chances in my life. There’s a theme that runs through the scripts I’ve written – people with unrealized possibilities.”
Sly’s on a roll, but it is the Warren Beatty-led comedy Town & Country that had most people talking, despite its paltry weekend take. The film, starring Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton, went into production three years ago without a finished script. Re-writes and extra shooting forced the release date back a whopping thirteen times and the stars began to distance themselves from the beleagured project. The film hit screens with minimal fanfare and nary a promotional interview. “Seldom is talent unavailable for a pic a studio has sunk $90 million into,” one insider said. Even the film’s director, Peter Chelsom, appeared nonplussed: “It’s a mess. I have never seen so much money wasted.”The film took in $3 million at the box office, placing seventh for the week. Meanwhile Bridget Jones’s Diary continued to wow audiences, pulling in an additional $7.5 million as talk of a sequel mounts.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
