Why Father John?
First of all, this is the archetypal hero’s quest. A flawed hero is thrust out into the greater world where he faces and overcomes great challenges. He also learns about himself, faces his faults, grows stronger and then brings this knowledge, maturity and strength back home to solve problems there. And Father John does this in a delightfully fresh new way.
When I came across this script, I immediately saw the potential in doing a neo-noir spy tale in Shanghai. The signature Shanghai architecture, the Shikumen-style housing blocks, are twisted mazes of narrow alleys that leave you turned about and confused or facing a dead end. And that also reflects the traditional lives and personal relations in those communities along those longtang lanes. Famed Chinese writer AnYi Wang said that in these neighborhoods, truth, lies and dark deeds all vanish into the mist.
With a bunch of recent films showing famous Shanghai views of the riverfront with the iconic Pearl Tower or the neon lights and international fashion brands of Nanjing Lu, I wanted to see a film that went deeper into the “real” Shanghai I have come to know and love. It is an ocean teeming with the endless ebb and flow of humanity.
There are some incredibly rich and vibrant views of Shanghai that will add depth and texture to this story. From the dingy back alleys and the dilapidated dwellings to fresh new neighborhoods of the new class of upwardly mobile professionals, Shanghai is an amazing backdrop for any drama.
I also was intrigued by exploring the inner conflict in John. Spies have to do some dark things that you would only expect from confidence men, thieves and murderers. The only difference is that spies can pretend to themselves that doing it for a good reason, in service of their country, makes it ok.
John’s way of maintaining his identity and self-respect in this environment is to take on the role of nice guy; almost to a fault. He tries to make an orderly world in his office where he can dot the “I”s and cross the “T”s and everything will be alright. In a world of shoot-from-the-hip rule breakers, John tries to follow the rules and a personal code of ethics. John quite effectively carved out this niche for himself in London where, under a business cover, he could effectively play the well respected man about town. But John has been lying to himself about his nice, perfect life and the darker side of his own nature.
When he is thrust into Shanghai, his life turns upside down. In London, John kept a perfectly ordered life while in Shanghai, everything is unsure. He is out of his element and not only are the people in his new office nearly hostile to him, but there is also a traitor in their midst. His partner Bill is uncooperative and on the verge of hostility toward John.
A local Chinese staff at the office and Yuri, a shadowy figure that rescues John from a mugging, seem to be his only friends. He does not know who he can trust. But he has to learn quickly if he is going to survive, because his predecessor did not.
