Most people associate Stillwater with one of two things: a 1970s rock band or a community nestled in the middle of Northern Oklahoma.
However, the list is about to improve for moviegoers, as a new film starring Matt Damon and titled after the city is set to hit theatres in the coming weeks. With its dramatic drama focused on the struggles of one well-meaning Oklahoman parent, “Stillwater” hopes to make waves this summer.
Though “Stillwater” is mostly about a single character, the storyline is fairly complicated. In desperate circumstances, Matt Damon’s character must explore the twists and turns of a land far different from his hometown in order to solve a murder that seems to be unsolvable.
“Stillwater,” which is packed with suspense and conflict, has a lot to show (much of which won’t be disclosed before the film is released). With that in mind, here’s all we know about “Stillwater” so far, including the release date, cast, and storyline.
Stillwater – Release Date
To say the least, “Stillwater” had a rocky manufacturing process. The COVID-19 pandemic, like many other projects in the last year or so, has proven to be a significant impediment to the film’s release.
“Stillwater” was scheduled to hit theatres in the fall of 2020, according to Entertainment Weekly, but it was soon shelved after quarantine became the international norm.
Since then, it’s been through some more stages of post-production, leaving Oscar winner Tom McCarthy optimistic about the film’s success.
“You have the potential to make meaningful improvements to a film like that if you can get away from it and view it with new eyes,”
McCarthy told EW. Focus Features, the production company behind “Stillwater,” has set a July 30, 2021 release date now that the pandemic has seemed to calm down and vaccines have started to roll out (via Deadline).
Stillwater – Cast Details
One of the most appealing aspects of “Stillwater” may be its leading role. Matt Damon plays Bill Baker, a blue-collar American roughneck (a popular term for an oil rig worker) who finds himself a fish out of water as he visits his college-aged daughter in Marseilles, France. Abigail Breslin plays the aforementioned parent, and Camille Cottin and Deanna Dunagan play supporting roles in the film (via IMDb).
The film’s cast is similarly multicultural, as is the film’s setting, which takes audiences on a trip from Oklahoma to France.
The entire production team adds realism to a tale focused around the conflict between American and European cultures, with actors and crew hailing from the United States, Canada, and France.
McCarthy told EW, “I hope we both learnt a lot from each other.” “We were all really behind the film and Matt’s success, which I think is stunning.”
Stillwater – Plot Details
Simply put, “Stillwater” is about an Oklahoman roughneck who moves to Marseilles after his daughter, Allison, is falsely accused of murdering another girl while studying abroad.
Bill Baker, now stuck in a foreign country with a new history, rules, and language, must somehow assert his daughter’s innocence while overcoming the complexities of French society. This storyline cocktail of a culture war and a murder mystery is intriguing, and it just gets richer when Baker makes friends and enemies in Marseilles.
Baker meets Virginie (Dunagan) and a young girl named Maya along the way, and the two soon join him in his quest to free his daughter. At the same time, Baker is up against locals as well as legal figures in Marseilles. Baker is battered by thugs and rebuffed by officials in the trailer. “Stillwater” is shaping up to be the full package for a drama film, with what appears to be a solid storyline, story, atmosphere, and characters.
