Jeff Daniels can be comic or serious, and in his new Showtime series, American Rust, he leans heavily toward the latter. After Kate Winslet’s performance in Mare of Easttown, the chameleon-like Dumb and Dumber and Pleasantville actor is the latest star to take on a complex cop role. Bridges’ current part, notably, is set in Pennsylvania and revolves on the investigation of a murder, this time in a Rust Belt town where he battles to make the right decision in a community teeming with people making the wrong ones.
The film American Rust is based on Philipp Meyers’ acclaimed novel of the same name, and it tells the story of the American Dream’s demise. Maura Tierney (previously seen in Your Honor starring Bryan Cranston, a judge who tried and failed to do the right thing — boy, these characters are popular) plays the police chief, who is in love with a mother played by Daniels. In this trailer, which is likewise heavy on the gloomy atmosphere, moral ambiguity abounds, as fires erupt many times. This appears to be an excellent show for getting lost while pondering other people’s concerns. According to the synopsis:
AMERICAN RUST is a gripping family drama that tells the timeless story of a family yearning for a better future while being enslaved by the past. Del Harris (Daniels), the multifaceted and compromised chief of police of a Pennsylvania Rust Belt town full of good people making poor decisions, tells the narrative of survival and transcendence. When word of a murder spreads around town, Harris must determine how far he will go to protect the son of the woman he loves (Tierney).
American Rust will premiere on Showtime on September 12th.
