(ANSA) - ROME, NOV 14 - A "fascinating character, similar to my father in many respects".
Thus Ben Affleck in the 'Deadline Contenders' meetings organized by the online newspaper with some of the protagonists and authors of the most anticipated films of the season, describes his role in The Tender Bar, the new film directed by George Clooney, with Lily Rabe, Tye Sheridan, Christopher Lloyd and the little Daniel Ranieri (in his debut), arriving in New York and Los Angeles in limited release from December 17, in national release from December 22 in the US and from January 7 on Amazon Prime Video.
It is the adaptation of the bestselling memoir of the same name and winner of the Pulitzer Prize written by JR Moehringer (InItalia is published by Piemme with the title Il bar delle grandisperanze). It tells the story of JR (Ranieri and Sheridannellee of different ages), a boy raised on Long Island by a single mom (Rabe), who is trained as a man spending a lot of time in the neighborhood bar where his uncle Charlie (Affleck) works as a barista. He is just one of the original and sometimes bizarre paternal figures in his life, trying to 'fill in' the paternal absence as they can.
"It's one of perhaps the only two moments in my career where I am offered a great role for a great film by a great director. I generally always collaborate on creating the material for my projects, I make them happen. This time it was like a gift from the Heaven. Even before I read the script I was ready to make the film, and I still didn't know how much GeorgeClooney (Affleck's friend, Argo's co-producer with him) was as director. I couldn't believe how good the part was and he really helped me. " . Affleck also found a personal bond with his character: "It's a very rewarding role, Charlie is on the one hand a really good person and a father figure of reference for his grandson, he's always on his side. He loves the child but doesn't express it in the traditional way. to which thelast generation".
Besides "just like my father is a bartender, a person with a culture, who built himself by himself, with a strong sense of humor".
(HANDLE).