Star Frank Grillo Opens Up About Embracing The Fun of ‘Werewolves’
FilmSpeak had the absolute pleasure to talk with action star Frank Grillo about his new movie ‘Werewolves’, where Grillo delves into embracing silliness and the careful art of delivering a good one-liner.
Werewolves, which is directed by Steven C. Miller, follows the story of two scientists, played by Grillo and Katrina Law, who aim to stop a mutation that turns people into werewolves after being exposed to a super-moon the year before. In the process, they must survive the night and avoid the moonlight to avoid turning into creatures of the night themselves. Miller previously helmed Line of Duty starring Aaron Eckhart and Ben McKenzie, Escape Plan 2: Hades starring Sylvestor Stallone and Dave Bautista, and Marauders starring Bruce Willis.
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When asked if it’s important to find a balance between grounding the material, but embracing the silliness of it as well, Grillo was game to answer by stating, “ I often say that in the most troublesome times of my life, the thing I always seem to go to and people around me do it too is that you always try to joke around a little bit…if we’re in a world where all of a sudden there’s werewolves, you gotta imagine you and me are going to be telling some jokes to each other. It’s not like we’re going to laugh for ten hours, but we’re going to break the ice here.” That attitude is wholeheartedly infused into his performance as he not only grounds the film, but doesn’t shy away from the inherent humor that can be mined from a larger than life story such as this.
Grillo is also no stranger to delivering a grade-A action movie one-liner and he gets a couple to rattle off in the film with his gruff, infectious charm. When asked if he has any special technique or approach to making such lines pop and not fall flat, the actor had a great response when he expressed, “Look, there’s been plenty of times where the script or the director is like this is the line and I’m like I can’t do it, I can’t say it…I was just working with James Gunn and this guy is a prolific, beautiful, amazing writer, incredible talent, and there was a line that I couldn’t say and he goes, “Just give me one.” And I would say it and he would go “You’re right. You have to say something else.” And so I know inherently to say “Bite me!” could sound cheesy, but I’ve got a 50 mil in front of me and I’m in a pickup truck and I know if I say it a certain way it’ll be a cool line. It’s an instinct.” It’s this instinct that has made Grillo such a lovable staple in the action genre, a familiar face that can assure the audience they’re in good hands with nothing to be remotely worried about.
Not only was Grillo a treat to talk with, but he has continued to showcase his versatility as an actor and his affinity for making old fashioned action films that could easily be ripped out of the 80s or 90s, delivering great work and showcasing solid taste with fare like Copshop, Boss Level, Wheelman, The Purge: Anarchy, The Purge: Election Year, and The Grey. Few actors can sell the material like he’s able to in Werewolves, a throwback to B-movie creature features that may not be an instant classic, but has a solid amount of entertainment value and wonderfully gnarly practical effects to please fans of the genre. Essentially, the film is like The Purge, but with werewolves instead of psychotic citizens in crazy masks. If there’s one thing the film proves, is that there is no line or story Grillo can’t sell and make watchable, a testament to his under-appreciated star power and charisma.