There's a fair amount of Minnesota heat at this year's Toronto International Film Festival.
The prestigious Opening Night slot goes to "The Judge," written by Minneapolis native Nick ("Gran Torino") Schenk. The film boasts the world's biggest movie star, Robert Downey Jr., as a cosmopolitan superlawyer who finds himself in his corn belt home town, defending his estranged father (Robert Duvall) on a murder charge. First Clint Eastwood as a testy retired auto worker, then Duvall as a peppery retired jurist. Schenk sure has something about grumpy old men.
After decades away from the director's chair, longtime producer William Pohlad takes the helm with "Love & Mercy," a biographical drama about the Beach Boys' troubled genius Brian Wilson. Since directing his first film, 1990's "Old Explorers," he's collaborated with the likes of Ang Lee, Steve McQueen, Robert Altman, Terrence Malick, Doug Liman and Sean Penn. It should be interesting to see how the Twins scion has upped his game. His new film stars Paul Dano, John Cusack and Paul Giamatti.
The there's "Wild," a new drama from Jean-Marc Vallée ("Dallas Buyers Club") based on the memoir by Minnesota native Cheryl Strayed. Reese Witherspoon plays Strayed as she copes with personal issues on a long-distance hiking adventure that challenges and heals her.
The Toronto International Film Festival runs Sept. 4-14.
