8 Signs Colin Farrell Is The New Matthew McConaughey
2. Working With Acclaimed Directors On Small Films
The beginning of the McConaissance has a very distinct staring point. A small-time legal thriller, much like the ones McConaughey got his start in, came out to rave reviews and The Lincoln Lawyer was a sign of change for the Texan. This was the first of a string of smaller movies, neither blockbuster nor romantic comedy, that would go on to earn acclaim.
It all began when, in the midst of taking a pause from acting, directors started seeking McConaughey out. Big names like Richard Linklater, William Friedkin and Martin Scorsese now all viewed him as attainable, a performer who was willing to be in their films. They saw the potential in him from early in his career and brought it back out.
A few years later, a new crop of directors have realized the same thing about Colin Farrell. Although none are household names, Yorgos Lanthimos, Liv Ullmann and Afonso Poyart are all young directors with a well-received film under their belts. And despite their lack of experience, Farrell, looking to do something different, signed on with all of them.
Regardless of the outcome, it’s the process that's noteworthy. It shows that Farrell realizes what he’s been doing isn’t working, so he’s pursuing a new angle that can get him back to the acting that made him acclaimed in the first place, just like Matthew McConaughey did.