An artfully dishevelled Clive Owen is shooting a father-and-son scene for feature film Word and Pictures in Gastown today directed by Fred Schepisi. A not-exactly-close father-and-son scene from the looks of it [because Dad is a functioning alcoholic]. I watched a rehearsal from the other side of Alexander Street before all the scrims and umbrellas went up and tried to contain myself. This man is my Brad Pitt- or Ryan Gosling-equivalent. Owen would have made a great James Bond, although Daniel Craig inhabits the more thuggish and damaged new Bond perfectly.
Words and Pictures is a smaller film about a private school English teacher (Clive Owen) and art teacher (Juliette Binoche) who complicate their lives with a rivalry that blossoms into romance.
Logline: Jack, a charismatic writer/poet, and Dina, an enigmatic, well-respected painter, are past their peak years as critical darlings when they meet and clash as teachers at an established prep school. As Jack’s extroverted wit clashes with Dina’s private nature, mutual dislike turns into rivalry and the battle of Words and Pictures begins.
Words and Pictures began filming here during March break in the temporarily-empty St. George’s private school on the west side of Vancouver and still films there on weekends. A local student got the chance to play an extra in one of Jack’s classes. Who wouldn’t want to be taught by Clive Owen? She was the lucky one who got scolded in class for texting. Hopefully that little scene will make the movie.
My personal Clive Owen filmography: Chancer, Close My Eyes, Croupier, Closer, Sin City, Inside Man and Children of Men.