Clive Owen on the financial crisis, clichés and knowing how to take a beating
The International is a blockbuster … and a cautionary tale?
“Yes it is a big entertaining thriller that opens up doors to question whether banks use people’s money inappropriately and whether they are completely sound institutions — and that is what everybody is doing right now with everything that has happened in the last year.”
He’s grateful he didn’t have to hook up with Naomi Watts onscreen.
“It was important to all of us, because it would have been a very cliché thing for them to fall for each other. Instead, what drives them is their commitment to what they are trying to do. There is definitely an attraction there and in another time and another place there is the possibility that they would make a good couple. “
Well, at least he has his guns.
“Having done Shoot ‘Em Up, I don’t need any more gun training [laughs].”
And he knows how to take a hit.
“I’m never trying to look cool. It’s about trying to put people in the position and trying to think how terrifying it would be to be here right now. That is the most important thing in keeping that realism going.”
The International is also, well, international.
“Environment is hugely important in a film like this. You are trying to suggest that this international bank is almighty and all powerful, and my character travels around the world trying to get close to these people, because that is how far reaching it is.”
Traveling? Been there, done that!
“The only place I hadn’t been to was Istanbul, and that was pretty amazing. That’s where we started the shoot — on the roofs of the Grand Bazaar.”
Next up, Duplicity … and more high finance shenanigans.
“It’s old school. It is about a couple of corporate spies who decide that rather than work for the company, because they are so good at what they both do, why not join together and scam the companies.”
At least this time he gets the girl! Sort of.
“My character and Julia [Robert]’s are having an illicit affair, so they are meeting as this things is progressing, but they don’t trust each other because they are so good at what they do they think that either of them is going to have the other one over.”
And he’s also toying with doing Inside Man 2.
“They have been trying to do that ever since we did the first one … it has been a struggle just to get the script that satisfies everything you want to do. I was proud of Inside Man and you only want to do another one if it is going to be as good as that one.”
