There isa lotgoing on inAtom Egoyan’s latest,Guest of Honour. Not only does it feature a fairly large ensemble, with all of the primary cast members playing a character with truly fascinating situations and qualities, but the movie also hits five different time periods. That being said, this description only scratches the surface ofGuest of Honour, but just to give you a brief lay of the land -Laysla De Oliveiraplays Veronica, a high school band teacher who’s convicted of a crime. The movie explores her refusal to pursue a reduced sentence and also how her conviction effects her father, Jim (David Thewlis). He works as a health inspector so when an issue like this has a major effect on his personal life, it could greatly effect the livelihood of restaurant owners should Jim walk into their place of business in a poor mood.
WithGuest of Honourcelebrating its world premiere at TIFF 2019, Egoyan, De Oliveira, Thewlis,Luke WillsonandRossif Sutherlandall visited the Collider Lounge for an extended conversation about the film. The group discusses Egoyan’s work as an actor’s director, what they learned about the health inspector profession, the unusual name Thewlis chose for his pet rabbit, and so much more. You can hear about it all in the video interview at the top fo this article.
You can find a full breakdown of the interview and the official TIFF synopsis forGuest of Honourbelow:
Luke Wilson, Laysla De Oliveira, Atom Egoyan, David Thewlis, Rossif Sutherland:
David Thewlis plays Jim, a health inspector whose daughter, Veronica (Laysla De Oliveira), has recently been convicted of a crime. Although Jim is certain that she isn’t guilty, his efforts to reduce her sentence are hampered by her intransigent refusal to cooperate with him. Despairing, Jim lashes out through his work, pursuing neglectful restaurateurs with a vigour we first assume to be dedication, but soon realize is far more than professional zeal.
