Anne Hathaway and Ben Affleck go head-to-head in the high-stakes, historical fiction drama The Last Thing He Wanted.
The Netflix original, slated for a February 21st release, places Hathaway in the role of veteran D.C. journalist, Elena McMahon, who ‘loses the thread of her own narrative’ after accidentally acquiescing her way into what would become the Iran-Contra Scandal.
On Thursday morning, the streaming platform released the first official trailer for the one hour and fifty-five minute film, directed by Dee Gees, that also stars Oscar winner Ben Affleck, The Lighthouse’s Willem Dafoe, and Rise’s Rosie Perez.
Head-to-head: Netflix released the first official trailer for the streaming platform’s original film, The Last Thing He Wanted, starring Anne Hathaway and Ben Affleck
Rees, who co-wrote the film’s script with Marco Villalobos, based the film off the 1996 Joan Didion novel of the same name.
McMahon, played by Hathaway, is torn from the 1984 campaign trail when her ailing father, played by DaFoe, calls on her for help dealing with some precious – and bullet clad – cargo.
Her guilt driven involvement in her father’s illegal activity ‘thrusts her from byline to unwitting subject in the very story she’s trying to break.’
The journalist: Hathaway plays D.C. journalist Elena McMahon in the crime drama
The favor: McMahon’s father, played by DaFoe, calls upon his daughter
‘They’re moving surplus arms to the Contras,’ relays McMahon as she uncovers the truth behind her father’s ‘errand.’
Knowing that there is no turning back. McMahon uses her accidental involvement to her advantage, in the hopes of exposing the entire operation.
She chases down every lead she can get her hands on and finds herself closer and closer to uncovering ‘just how these weapons are getting to Central America,’ Rolling Stone.
The discovery: They’re moving surplus arms to the Contras,’ relays McMahon as she uncovers the truth behind her father’s ‘errand’
Unbeknownst to Hathaway’s character, she attracts the U.S. government’s attention, which puts top official Treat Morrison, played by Affleck, on her trail.
Morrison, who recognizes McMahon’s potential to expose the weapons funnel, makes it his mission to stop her – at any cost.
‘The reporter with a moral compass…always one step ahead…,’ utters Morrison.
In a race against time, Hathaway must expose the truth, before Morrison can shut her up for good.
The one to take her down: ‘The reporter with a moral compass…always one step ahead…,’ utters Morrison, played by Affleck
Cat and mouse: Affleck’s character must put a stop to Hathaway’s before she can bring the truth to light
‘When he shows up it’s usually the end of something, not the beginning,’ expresses Perez’s character in concern to Hathaway’s McMahon during a late night phone call.
As an intense montage of fast driving, shoulder peeking, and gun slinging plays out, McMahon ends the trailer with the quote:
‘In a perfect world, we’d make perfect choices. In the real world, we make real choices.”
The Last Thing He Wanted, rated R, will make debut at the Sundance Film Festival on January 27th before hitting the streaming platform in February.
Real: ‘In a perfect world, we’d make perfect choices. In the real world, we make real choices’ utters McMahon upon the trailer’s dramatic close
The sidekick: McMahon’s only trusted confidant in the film, played by Rosie Perez