Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis might be one of last year's worst reviewed films, but its lead star Adam Driver has praised the legendary director for "not letting the money dictate the content of the film".
As Coppola received AFI‘s 50th Life Achievement Award last Saturday, the Star Wars actor praised his fearless style and award-winning career, which includes all-time classics like The Godfather and Apocalypse Now.
"A theater director who brought his process to film and revolutionized how we think about cinema, and certainly how we make it. His movies, for some, are the yardstick to be measured by, and at the very least, examples of the possibilities in film, like in my opinion, Megalopolis," he said (via Deadline).
Driver recalled the first day of filming Megalopolis, where Coppola offered "the best piece of direction I ever heard", telling the room: "We're not being brave enough." For the actor, it takes a strong vision to spend "$120 million on a piece of art, and not letting the money dictate the content of the film".
“This is a principled life," he continued, "and for a year in our culture when the importance of the arts is minimized, and our industry is seemingly out in the open, then the only metric to judge a film's success is by how much money it makes. I hang on to individuals like Francis for inspiration, who live through their convictions, through big moves, all in service of pushing the medium forward.
"Francis took $120 million and created a singular gesture for what he thought film could be, and I think that's pretty great. That kind of move has an aftershock that certainly will be felt in his films, will be felt throughout time, and is obviously felt in this room. So, I know you have complicated feelings about awarding Francis, but to echo what everyone else has been saying, you more than deserve this moment. Congratulation on all you’ve achieved, and I’m honored to be here to celebrate you, your generosity and your bravery."
Released in cinemas last September, Megalopolis, which Coppola self-funded and created from an idea he had in 1983, was a commercial failure. The film earned only $14.3 million worldwide, and received dismal reviews from critics, which is reflected in its 45% Rotten Tomatoes score.
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