City of Ghosts

After his partner Marvin (James Caan) takes off with all the money from an insurance scam that’s been exposed, financial manager Jimmy Cremming flees to Bangkok to escape the FBI. In Thailand, he learns that Marvin is hiding out in the Cambodian jungle. While searching for him, he meets the attractive archaeologist Sophie, who wants to start a new life with him in Laos. But then Jimmy receives an unmistakable warning that puts his own life in grave danger: Marvin’s severed foot... In addition to the star-studded lead cast of Matt Dillon and James Caan, this light-drenched film noir also features Gérard Depardieu, Stellan Skarsgård, and Rose Byrne. The US actor Matt Dillon (“The Outsiders,” “There’s Something About Mary”), who was already popular in his youth, delivered his highly atmospheric directorial debut with “City of Ghosts,” which earned him invitations to the Sundance and Toronto Film Festivals. In 2020, Dillon’s documentary “El Gran Fellove” about the life of Cuban musician Francisco Fellove was set to follow. “Despite the sweltering heat and scorching sun, this superbly acted film has all the ingredients that make up a film noir: betrayal, corruption, fragile friendships, shifting loyalties, and a hero who must first grow into this role and pay his (blood) price. Yet the action remains restrained; the focus is on evoking an almost unreal atmosphere in which the Cambodian capital plays a central role." (Lexikon des Internationalen Films)