CANNES, France (AP) 鈥� In Ira Sachs鈥� 1980s-set drama 鈥淭he Man I Love,鈥� finds the most well-tailored role since portrayal of Freddie Mercury in 鈥淏ohemian Rhapsody.鈥�
While Sachs鈥� film, which is a competition entry at this year’s , likewise centers on a performer dying of AIDS, it鈥檚 otherwise an altogether different and dramatically more personal tale about art, love and death.
鈥淚t took me a minute to realize it was more about life,鈥� Malek said in an interview alongside Sachs on a terrace in Cannes. 鈥淭here鈥檚 a threat looming throughout, but it鈥檚 an undercurrent. Throughout the film there鈥檚 a cacophony of sound and imagery and beauty that is filling your soul.鈥�
The film, which is for sale in Cannes, has earned Malek 鈥� an actor who has sometimes struggled to find well-suited roles since his breakout in 鈥淢r. Robot鈥� 鈥� some of the best reviews of his career.
Sachs, the New York indie filmmaker of and knew he wanted an actor with an ineffable star quality.
鈥淲hat I saw in 鈥楳r. Robot鈥� was a very natural actor and someone who has an ability where you don鈥檛 know how they get from one word to the next.鈥�
In 鈥淭he Man I Love,鈥� Malek plays Jimmy George, a New York performance artist who鈥檚 trying to continue performing despite his illness. His partner (Tom Sturridge) diligently cares for him while a man (Luke Ford) who moves into the same building immediately falls for Jimmy.
It鈥檚 not a movie filled with medication and hospital visits. Instead, it captures a performer desperately trying to continue on.
Sachs said he wanted 鈥渁 rapturous film.鈥�
鈥淚 wanted to make a film that contained all the things that I鈥檒l miss when I鈥檓 gone,鈥� said the filmmaker. 鈥淚 wanted it to be suffused with emotion and pain and skin. It鈥檚 a sexy film. It has color and music. You could say it鈥檚 a list of pleasures or sins.鈥�
Some of the movie鈥檚 most overwhelming scenes are of Jimmy rehearsing or performing. In a heartbreaking showstopper, he sings the 1970 Melanie hit 鈥淲hat Have They Done to My Song Ma鈥� to his family.
鈥淚t came straight from my soul,鈥� says Malek. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a moment in the film when Jimmy has some sense of clarity as to what鈥檚 coming. There is this stubborn refusal to keep creating in the most desperate of times that emanates through this film. It imbued me with this sense of, 鈥極h, I can be dangerous. I can take things to a limit that I haven鈥檛 before.鈥欌��
The 1980s has deep importance to the 60-year-old Sachs, who began working in New York in 1984. He was inspired by the stories of performance artists like John Kelly and John Jesurun
鈥淭hey鈥檙e the ones who told me about the last night that the comedian Frank Maya was on stage and he lost the ability to finish his act,鈥� Sachs says. 鈥淛ohn Kelly told me about Ethyl Eichelberger performing and having sweat drenching his face.鈥�
Malek calls Sachs 鈥渁 library,鈥� whose connection to the time of 鈥淭he Man I Love鈥� fueled his curiosity.鈥�.
鈥淭hat confidence generated a performance in me that I didn鈥檛 know I was giving,鈥� Malek says. 鈥淏ut I knew I was doing something unique. I didn鈥檛 know it would translate.鈥�
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