Opening this week is John Swab’s King Ivory, a multi-faceted drug war thriller that looks at the fentanyl crisis from many different angles. The film arrives twenty-five years after Steven Soderbergh’s Traffic changed the way we look at movies about illegal drugs. For me, Swab has made the first movie that feels like a worthy successor, exploring the issue by being frank about the danger opioids pose, while showing sensitivity to those who are suffering with addiction right now.
It doesn’t hurt that King Ivory boasts an incredible ensemble, led by James Badge Dale as Tulsa narcotics agent Layne West, Ben Foster as ex-convict and Irish mobster George “Smiley” Greene, and Michael Mando as Mexican cartel drug trafficker Ramón Garza. Along with Melissa Leo, Rory Cochrane, and the late Graham Greene, it’s the best lineup that Swab has ever put together.
Between Dale, Foster, and Mando, I’m also looking at three of my favorite characters all in one place, getting a chance to shine. So it was a real treat to be able to speak with all three actors about King Ivory, and the challenges of starring in a film with such a deep, personal connection for Swab, a Tulsa native. We also talked about their feelings on the drug crisis, what it was like humanizing the bad guys, and so much more.
King Ivory opens in theaters on November 14th. Check out my review here and the interview below!
