After coming off their best year for Original Films in 2018, with the likes of Set It Up and To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before being big hits, and Alfonso Cuaron’s Roma becoming an Oscar frontrunner, Netflix will be hoping to take that momentum into 2019. To kick it off, they have released the first trailer for their first big film of the year, the action-thriller Close.
Written and directer by Vicky Jewson (Born Of War), the film is inspired by the life of bodyguard Jacquie Davis and stars Noomi Rapace as a hardened security expert who is tasked with protecting a rich, young heiress, played by Sophie Nelisse. Of course, the initial plan goes awry, and the duo then have to unravel a conspiracy to stay alive.
Netflix acquired the film in March of last year from WestEnd Films, which had it under the banner of its female-skewed WeLove brand, which is aimed at developing and producing female-specific content and promoting female talent.
The tone and synopsis of Close feels and reads vaguely similar to most action films, but it is good to see this one led by a female protagonist, and Rapace has rebranded herself as a sort of ‘action heroine’ in her post-Lisbeth Salander career, and looks to be a great fit for the lead role here.
Netflix have been good at getting more diverse voices behind the camera too, so Close will be worth watching if only to see how Jewson handles a film in the genre that, to this day, is dominated by male creators.
Close will premiere on Netflix on Friday, January 18.
#Peace.Love.Close
