timothy linh bui Tagged Articles at Cinematical

In this day and age, why can't someone be both? Jessica Biel's dramatic turn as a stripper in Timothy Linh Bui's Powder Blue, which just hit DVD and Blu-ray, has been competing for attention with the theatrical release of Stephen Elliott's Easy Virtue, which opened in New York and Los Angeles before expanding this weekend. Throw in the tempest in a teacup about her interview with Allure Magazine, in which the actress was quoted as complaining that her beauty was causing her to miss out on more serious roles that instead went to Natalie Portman or Scarlett Johansson, and it may be hard to know what to think of the actress.

I don't know if the Allure quotes are accurate are not, taken out of context or completely made up, but watching her in Easy Virtue made me forget all the career stuff and gossip and get caught up with the characters and the story. That's not something I expected from a period piece based on a play by Noël Coward. Biel plays Larita, an American race car driver from Detroit who marries the young, very British John Whittaker (Ben Barnes) after a whirlwind romance. John takes her home to meet his very proper mother (Kristin Scott Thomas), his remote yet welcoming father (Colin Firth), and his two flighty sisters (Kimberly Nixon and Katherine Parkinson).

It wouldn't be fair to say that Biel steals this very funny film (with a more serious streak that's gradually revealed). For one thing, Firth is exquisitely good; for another, Elliot's direction is quite engaging. Still, Biel is something of a minor marvel in the role.

Now there's a duo I didn't expect to see on screen together. Variety reports that Jessica Biel and Forest Whitaker have joined the cast of Powder Blue; an ensemble drama that's looking to begin production this July in Los Angeles. Pic is to be helmed by Timothy Linh Bui, brother and co-collaborator of Three Seasons director Tony Bui. Linh Bui's last feature (as a director) was the 2001 flick Green Dragon; a pic that also starred Whitaker, as well as Patrick Swayze. Powder Blue was set up by Eleven Eleven Films in association with Spirit Dance Entertainment and Grosvenor Park Media; it will be produced by Whitaker, Bobby Schwartz, Ross M. Dinerstein, Tracee Stanley-Newell and Timothy Linh Bui.

Like the Oscar-winning film Crash, Powder Blue will follow the lives of four very different characters who, for one reason or another, wind up together on Christmas Eve. Those characters are a mortician, an ex-con, a suicidal ex-priest and a stripper. No word yet on which roles Whitaker and Biel will take on, but if I were a betting man, I'd have to say Biel would look mighty fine playing a stripper. And I know I'm not alone in that belief. As for Whitaker, I say he plays either the mortician or the suicidal ex-priest -- heck, he'd do just fine in any of the roles except, well, I can't see him pulling off a thong. But that's me. Script was penned by Linh Bui, based off a story written by Stephanie Gauger (Owl and the Sparrow). With this role, it seems Biel has finally gotten her wish. The actress was complaining recently that she hasn't been given the opportunity to audition for gritty roles; that those parts have been going to ladies like Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman. Aww. Well, when you bring in the type of box office that those girls do (what did Next make, $14 million?), then I'm sure more stuff will begin to open up.