While Steven Spielberg‘s “Lincoln” showed us the president as an already great man striving to do good in a country divided by war and race, the forthcoming Sundance drama “The Better Angels” will look at the events that turned him into one of the most iconic leaders in American history. And under the guidance of producer Terrence Malick, it’s sure to be something very special.
Directed by A.J. Edwards (who worked on “The New World,” “The Tree of Life” and “To the Wonder“), the film is set in the early 1800’s and chronicles three years in the young life of Abraham Lincoln, the tragedy that shaped him and the women who guided him. And in this exclusive clip, we see teacher Mr. Crawford (played by Wes Bentley) share with Abe’s mother (Diane Kruger) his view that the young man is already destined for things that will take him far beyond the wilderness of Indiana. It’s an interesting tease of the film that looks to be painting a unique portrait of one the country’s most beloved presidents.
Co-starring Jason Clarke, Brit Marling and Braydon Denney,”The Better Angels” screens this weekend at the Sundance Film Festival. Watch below.
The stark wilderness of Indiana in THE BETTER ANGELS was filmed in the Hudson Valley and is one of FIVE feature films shot in the region world premiering at Sundance. Read about them all at http://bit.ly/1fJqCfZ
I don't think anyone would mistake this for a Malick film if they didn't know. Maybe a little influenced by him, but the slow zooming in and out of the camera is not something that Malick would do.
It's maybe AJ Edwards the director, but Malick was probably not very far in the editing room…