Ep. 62 - Sicario Movie Review

Hollister and O’Toole discuss Sicario (which, as we know from the trailer, means “hitman” in Mexico). Directed by Québec native Denis Villeneuve; written by Taylor Sheridan; starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, and Benicio Del Toro. Cinematography by Roger Deakins (a 12x Oscar nominee). The cross-border drug cartel theme leads to comparisons with Steven Soderbergh’s film Traffic and the FX series The Bridge (which starred Diane Kruger and Demian Bichir). Hollister loved the acting, the script, the direction, the cinematography. For her part, O’Toole can’t help but wonder how Sicario would have turned out had it been edited by long-time Martin Scorsese collaborator (and 3x Oscar winner) Thelma Schoonmaker (Raging Bull). Hollister and O’Toole can both agree: Sicario would not have been Sicario without Emily Blunt. Kudos to writer Taylor Sheridan for turning down the backers who offered a bigger budget if he would only replace Emily Blunt’s character (really, the only female character in the movie) with another man. Podcast extra: 10 Things O’Toole Learned from A Conversation With Emily Blunt at the Hamptons International Film Festival.