Of the four main characters in the film, Clark was quite happy to have a name that pleased Levy as soon as he opened his mouth.

Compared to the American version in memory, this person is more suitable - Martin. Xin is a little older, and in the script, the police officer is a very charismatic person, he has a lot of interaction with the undercover agent, and he is also a character who can move the audience, and his death is also a big turning point in attracting the audience's emotional changes. Xin's age is not suitable, his age is not quite like the image of a tough guy on the screen, such a person, it's good to play an old politician, but a tough guy sheriff, he is not very suitable. In contrast, Liam Neeson is much more suitable.

And there are still three characters left, and how Clark chooses them also makes Levy look forward to it even more.

"The identity of the sheriff has been decided, so the identity of the gang boss has to be considered. According to the age and role of the script, I think if you need to show the kind of effect you want, I'm afraid unless it's looking for Jack. Nicholson, Robert. De Niro or one of Al Pacino can play this character well. ”

After talking about the police, it was also on the gangster side, and this time, Clark's tone was more hesitant.

Compared with the more consistent image of a tough guy sheriff on the screen, everyone has their own different opinions on the shaping of the gang boss, the image is more diverse, and it is not easy to determine who to find. Especially when Clark only skimmed the script roughly, he was also unsure who would play the role better.

He is well aware that the role is not so easy to play: the task requires the display of a kind of intelligence that belongs to the gangsters. He can deal with the police for many years, and he is definitely not an idiot. At the same time, he has to show a hidden ferocity and tyranny. Whether it is smashing the plaster of the undercover agent, or slapping the table in the police station, or directly sending someone to kill the sheriff, this kind of cruelty needs to be shown between talking and laughing, and this person's interpretation is definitely very difficult.

Therefore. Considering the age, it is naturally best for this character to be played by those famous Hollywood genius actors. And Dustin. Hoffman is clearly not fit to play a gangster - 1.65 meters tall is a fatal bruise, therefore. There are only three people left to choose from.

"If you want me to say, I think, Robert. De Niro might be better. After thinking about it, Levy replied.

In memory. In the American version, the character is played by Jack. Nicholson. Nicholson played it very well. At least as a neurotic, somewhat crazy boss, the characters he creates have no problems, and he is definitely worthy of his own identity as an actor, and this old guy's acting skills are indeed amazing.

However, Levy didn't like the American version of the script very much. This gang boss, he hopes to create a more urban government. Closer to the image of the hero. In the American version of the movie, in order to shoot a more realistic police film, Nicholson is needed to show the domineering of gangster characters. And the movie that Levy wanted to shoot had a greater element of wit. What needs to be shown is the wisdom of the gangster characters, and such a requirement, absolutely crazy interpretation, is not suitable for his requirements.

He quite appreciates Zeng Zhiwei's performance in the Hong Kong version: although he doesn't look like a gangster boss in appearance, temperament, and size, he has performed a very unique image of ruthlessness and cunning, which is also what Levy wants his actor to show.

Of course, Levy believes that Nicholson can perform well with a point of play, but the problem is that with a preconceived impression, Levy is afraid that he will not be able to make Nicholson act very differently.

In contrast, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are more suitable. It's just that Al is definitely reluctant to play this role - Levy has been in contact with Al Pacino, and he knows that Al Pacino is good at his performance in The Godfather, but he is not recognized by the media, and he has nothing to do with two movies in a row, and others have won two Oscars, he has always had a grudge, and he is also more resistant to playing the role of a gangster boss - since these three characters, one is not suitable, and the other is resistant, then there is only one Robert left. De Niro too.

And Levy's choice, Clark immediately agreed, "That's right, De Niro has the widest range of plays, and his performance must be the best." I just don't know if he has a schedule, so let's contact him and try it. ”

De Niro, unlike Liam Neeson, has never been worried that he has no drama to take. Moreover, Clark is not sure whether De Niro, who is getting older and has begun to transition to comedy, will take the contract. However, since Levy brought it up, then, he will try it first.

"I'll contact him...... Still, Nick, you have to be careful. De Niro's salary is now around 10 million. You haven't decided on the protagonist yet, this salary is a bit high. ”

"Don't think about the budget, just talk about the characters first." Levy waved his hand, "With that out of the way, let's talk about the protagonist." Who do you think is more suitable for the two protagonists? ”

"Then we have to talk about it one by one - let's talk about the secondary characters first, the gangsters who go undercover in the police station. This character, almost all he needs in the play is a quiet performance, and the only place where he can express his emotions is by relying on his tone and eyes. On the one hand, he needs to show the temperament of a successful person, but on the other hand, he also needs to show his inner pain - not being able to have big expressions and lines, which is also a great test in itself. Such people are hard to find. ”

"Actually, I think there's a good guy......" Levi thought for a moment and spoke, "What do you think of Tom. How about Cruise? ”

It wasn't Levy's own idea to let Cruise play the role, which he mentioned in a chat with the original author, and when he asked Mak who he wanted to play the role, Mak gave this answer.

"Let Tom Cruise and Liam. Nissen playing? How many fruit crates do you have to prepare for him? I don't think it's a good idea. Clark shook his head, "First, his height, and second, his line skills are not particularly good." And, most importantly, he's filming Magnolia now, and he doesn't have time at all, so we can't let her play us. ”

"You also missed a point, Tom Cruise is an idol-level actor in Hollywood after all, and the role in this play is a negative role, even if he is given to him, he may not be willing to shoot it." Levy added, and shook his head again, "Actually, I don't think it's very suitable, but that's what the screenwriter meant...... Forget it, don't think about him, let's think about who is suitable. ”

Actually, Levy thinks Tom. Cruise is good, at least in terms of the image of a successful person, he is similar to the Hong Kong version of Andy Lau, and Mak Zhaohui, as the original author, has a very good vision. It's a pity that Tom can't arrange anything from his life, to his personal image, to his performance time, and Levy can't use him - this kind of regret can't be avoided even by the biggest directors.

And when he said this, Levi immediately popped up with another name, "What do you think Matt. Is Damon OK? ”

Clark thought for a moment, then shook his head, "His acting skills have barely improved in the past two years, and he has even regressed compared to when he was a soul catcher, I don't think he is very suitable." Moreover, he is suitable for interpreting a genius who is ordinary and almost cowardly on the outside, but meticulous and intelligent on the inside. And what we are asking for is a person who is mature on the outside and twisted on the inside, he is not suitable, right? ”

This is the American version of the actor, but, in Clark's eyes, it is obvious that he is not suitable. Levy agrees with his idea: Matt Damon's debut was too smooth, and his acting skills are a little unpolished.

Of course, it's not impossible to polish his acting skills, as far as Levy observed, whenever he plays against Affleck, his acting skills can soar - however, Levy has no interest in arranging a role for his friend Affleck in order to make him act, so he still doesn't consider Matt. Damon it.

"Well, I have another candidate." This time, Levy thought about it for a moment before he spoke, "What do you think of Brad. Is Pete okay? ”

This is the last candidate that Levy has prepared, and this candidate also makes Clark frown.

"His acting skills are okay, and his performance is hard enough. It's just that there is always an unnatural feeling in his performance, and the traces of the performance are too heavy...... And there's another question, I remember that he didn't play too many images of successful people in his performances, right? Can he play such an image? ”

"Temperament can be sharpened, not everyone is George Clooney's temperament, everything is a natural handsome and rich temperament. He lacks this kind of training, and he hasn't played this role, which is true, but with his level of effort, he can still try acting in such a play. ”

This character, Levy thinks Brad. Pitt can also try - the current Pitt has not become a star of commercial films in the future, from 1994 to the present, he has basically been shooting literary films and sharpening his acting skills. He still attaches great importance to acting, whether it is a wild and uninhibited image, a polite image, or a crazy image, he has played it, and the image of this successful person may not be able to act.

And even if he can't act, he can try to test something else. Levy doesn't like Pete's way of behaving in the world, but he still wants to believe that he is allowed to act.

"If you want to say that he works hard enough, I believe it, but is he willing to act well?" Clark asked hesitantly.

"Of course, trust me, he's going to love this script." Levy laughed.

In my memory, the North American adaptation rights of this script were bought by Pete, and he loves this play enough. It is precisely because of this that Levy believes that he will do his best for this play. (To be continued......)