Demolition

Jean-Marc Vallée must be an extraordinarily busy man. First there was Dallas Buyer’s Club, then there was Wild, now there’s Demolition. Three films in as many years; it’s a work rate of which Allen or Hitchcock would be proud.

This time round, it’s Jake Gyllenhaal’s turn to take the lead role. He stars as Davis Mitchell, a high-flying investment banker thrown into turmoil by the sudden death of his wife. In the aftermath of the tragedy, he pens a complaint letter to a vending machine company which soon spirals into an open-wounded confessional. It’s picked up by customer service advisor Karen Moreno (Naomi Watts) with whom Davis’ relationship quickly deepens.

Together with Karen, Davis begins to take apart and rebuild his life. If the trailer is anything to go by, this titular demolition is both literal and figurative; there’s plenty of sledge hammer-wielding, appliance-toppling action as Davis destroys the trappings of his former life.

You don’t need to look especially deeply into cinematic history to find potential predecessors for the film, but its textbook plot arc isn’t dampening our excitement. Vallée has proven himself a redoubtable director, and with Watts and Gyllenhaal on board, we’ve every reason to be hopeful.