Though it was the Twilight films that first really put him on the map and made him the envy of almost every girl on the planet, Robert Pattinson is much more than just a pretty face. Ever since his time as Edward Cullen came to an end, he’s been testing his acting chops in a bunch of challenging and interesting roles. The actor’s latest is David Michôd’s The Rover, which hit theatres in limited release on Friday and is expanding this week.
The film takes place in Australia, 10 years after the global economy has collapsed, and stars Guy Pearce as Eric, a man out for revenge after being carjacked by a ruthless gang. He soon crosses paths with an injured young man named Rey (Pattinson), whose brother, Henry, is the leader of the gang who not only stole Eric’s car, but also left Rey for dead after a botched robbery. Together, the two travel through the Australian outback to find Henry and take revenge. There’s obviously a lot more going on beneath the surface of this intriguing and thought-provoking film, but that’s the gist of it.
Last week in Los Angeles, I had the chance to sit down for an exclusive interview with Michôd, Pattinson and Pearce while they were at the Four Seasons Hotel promoting The Rover. We discussed the complex relationship between Pattinson and Pearce’s characters, Pattinson’s physical transformation, some of the deeper messages of the film and more.
Check it all out in the video below and be sure to catch The Rover this week in theatres if you haven’t done so already!