We attended the New York Premiere of Broad Green Pictures’ “The Infiltrator” at AMC Lincoln Square.
From the film: Bryan Cranston, Benjamin Bratt, Diane Kruger, John Leguizamo, Olympia Dukakis, Yul Vazquez, Juan Cely, Michael Pare, Miguel Ruiz, director Brad Furman, screenwriter Ellen Brown Furman, composer Chris Hajian and producer Miriam Segal all walked the red carpet.
Based on a true story, Federal agent Robert “Bob” Mazur (Bryan Cranston) goes deep undercover to infiltrate Pablo Escobar’s drug trafficking scene plaguing the nation in 1986 by posing as slick, money-laundering businessman Bob Musella. Teamed with impulsive and streetwise fellow agent Emir Abreu (John Leguizamo) and rookie agent posing as his fiancé Kathy Ertz (Diane Kruger), Mazur befriends Escobar’s top lieutenant Roberto Alcaino (Benjamin Bratt). Navigating a vicious criminal network in which the slightest slip-up could cost him his life, Mazur risks it all building a case that leads to indictments of 85 drug lords and the corrupt bankers who cleaned their dirty money, along with the collapse of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, one of the largest money-laundering banks in the world.
Composer Chris Hajian
Tell me a little about your vision for the music.
Okay, so Brad and I have worked many times. He’s a dear friend and a trusting collaborator. We wanted to create this score that had a feeling of the ‘80s, and I did that by using a lot of synthesizers – but we didn’t want it to feel strictly like that. We wanted to bring something new to the table and create something that was dramatic. So, I combined a lot of the 80s sounds with my own sense of lyricism and ambient sounds. So that’s kinda how I came up with the palette of sounds that would take us on this musical journey.
What were some of your favorite moments to score?
There was a scene where Bob survives this car crash, and the moment that happens after when he just has this “epiphany” of life, like: oh, my god – if I survive this, I’m gonna change my life; that’s one of my favorite moments. There’s a bunch; there’s, of course, the big scene at the end – the climax – and then the very last scene where Bob’s life goes back to what is used to be.
What’s your process like when creating the music? Do you watch the film once? Or do you think of ideas before you see the film?
With this film, I was on very early. Usually composer is hired after they’ve shot, but Brad wanted me to work up some ideas – just in very basic ways. So, I was just thinking: I wanted to get the palette of the sound. Once the composer gets the tone of the score, it all just starts to come together. So that’s the process. And of course, with cuts, I still work very specifically to the film.
So what’s coming up for you?
I’m currently working on a series for Sony Crackle, called “Start Up”, and that stars Martin Freeman and Adam Brody – a very edgy series about a start-up company in Miami.
Juan Cely
So tell me a little about the role you play?
I play the informant. The informant is a guy that works for the CIA.
What is your personal recollection of this story? Did it impact you in anyway? Do you remember stories like this growing up?
Yes, because actually, I’m from Columbia. The movie is about Columbia, drug-traffic, 1980s – and I used to live In Columbia at the time.
Speak about working with Bryan.
I feel so lucky. He’s just so kind in the scene and nice person and playful. It’s kind of delicious to work with Bryan.
Bryan Cranston
Has Bob Mazur seen the film before? Do you know his reaction?
He loves it very much. Bob Mazur is here tonight, but I can’t point him out to you or anyone else because he’s put a lot of people in prison. And they would like nothing better than to get back at him.
Why did you want to produce as well?
It’s just a great story. You have a man who is very noble, doing his job and doing the right thing to make a difference in the world. What really got me about this story was the plot – sure, I get the bad guys – but he’s playing a bad guy during the day. But what got me was: he leaves that behind every-day, and goes home and he’s Bob Mazur – dad, husband – helps kids with the homework, takes the trash out and tells his wife: “yeah, it was a good day, nothing happened,” even if something really close happened he couldn’t say anything. So I was curious about a man who lived that kind of duality, and just keeps him completely separate – and how I make that all real and authentic.
What are your reflections on having mega fame later in your career?
I’ve never thought of it. Since the time I was 22-years-old, the only thing I really wanted was to become a working actor and make my living as an actor. Anything beyond that is gravy. So when I was 25, I started working exclusively as an actor. That’s still my proudest professional moment – is saying: “I am an actor,” and I don’t have to do anything else to earn a living. I would be happy with that, and if opportunities come up – great. So I don’t think the business owes me anything; I don’t think life owes me anything. There’s no sense of entitlement. I’m just riding the wave; I still can’t believe I’m still on the surfboard – so uh – work, work, work.
Additional celebrity guests Mickey Rourke, James Franco, Pauly Shore, Keegan-Michael Key, Jill Hennessy, Regis Philbin, Bryant Gumbel, Dick Cavett, John Stossel, Joanna Coles, NY Jet Muhammad Wilkerson, Hannah Bronfman, Brendan Fallis, Marky Ramone, Constantine Maroulis, Nev Schulman, OITNB’s Laura Gomez, Dan Amboyer, Eric West, Tashiana Washington and DJ Tony Touch. A fun party followed at Lavo.
Its run time is 127 minutes. This film will be released in theaters Wednesday, July 13.