The return of Joseph Gordon-Levitt is just getting started.
After the actor took a hiatus from Hollywood, Gordon-Levitt has starred in musical “Flora and Son,” “Super Pumped,” and “Poker Face,” all in 2023. Now, the actor is bringing back his comedic timing for darkly funny crime thriller “Greedy People.”
Gordon-Levitt plays an outrageously corrupt cop who helps convince a rookie (Himesh Patel) to steal one million dollars. The official synopsis reads: “Will (Patel) and his rogue partner Terry (Gordon-Levitt) upend their small island town when they accidentally discover one million dollars at a crime scene (of their own making). After the duo unwisely decides to steal the money, the community’s quirky residents are lured into the mad dash for cash — ranging from an expectant mom (Lily James) to a masseur (Simon Rex) to a shrimp company owner (Tim Blake Nelson) — and everyone learns just how far they are willing to go for the almighty dollar.”
The film is directed by Potsy Ponciroli from a script by Mike Vukadinovich. Uzo Aduba, Nina Arianda, and Jim Gaffigan co-star.
“Greedy People” also marks a reunion between Patel and James, who both starred in Danny Boyle’s 2019 Beatles alternate history rom-com “Yesterday.” Patel played a struggling musician who gets hit by a bus and wakes up to realize that The Beatles never existed. Patel’s character becomes famous performing Beatles songs, while also landing the woman of his dreams (James). The film, while not a critical hit or box office success, found new controversy after Ana de Armas’ character was cut out of the film. Fans sued Universal after renting the movie on Amazon Prime specifically to watch de Armas, who was included in the trailer.
In contrast, Gordon-Levitt opted to literally stay offscreen. The actor took two years off between 2018 and 2020 to focus on his family. The actor told The Hollywood Reporter that he prioritized being “happy” as how he selected his projects.
“Having taken some time off, the perspective that I’ve returned with was just really wanting to focus on the art and the craft that I love so much,” he said. “There were, of course, voices in my head expressing concern about momentum, career building and things of that nature. But I knew that if I wanted to be happy, I had to choose my first project back as what would challenge me as an actor and really intrigue and inspire me.”
He continued, “I’m incredibly grateful for all of the things that I’ve gotten to do, but stopping wasn’t because I wanted to stop acting or stop working. It was because I wanted to spend time with my kids. So, now I’m finding that balance. […] But yeah, it was a great two-year break, and that was the longest break I’d ever taken from acting in my entire life and since I was six years old. It meant a lot to me, and I’m extremely grateful that I get to do it. I hope I get to keep going forever.”
“Greedy People” premieres August 23 from Lionsgate. Check out the trailer below.
