Tony Goldwyn’s Movie Shortlist
The Actor-Director’s handpicked recommendations of three gripping, powerful films
This month’s first exciting new addition to our Shortlist family is actor-director Tony Goldwyn — best known for playing President ‘Fitz’ on Scandal. Goldwyn joins our group of movie insiders who personally recommend great films to stream on Tribeca Shortlist. Beyond Scandal, Goldwyn is also known for his work in Dexter, Ghost, and the popular young-adult series Divergent. He can also be seen alongside Liam Neeson and Diane Lane in the upcoming Felt, a spy-thriller about FBI agent Mark Felt (a.k.a. Watergate whistleblower ‘Deep Throat’), set to be released in 2017.
So, what films does Goldwyn recommend? Given his history of activism for arts education and his Hollywood family pedigree (his father is noted film producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr.), it’s no wonder Goldwyn’s picks are timeless, intriguing works of cinematic artistry. Goldwyn’s shortlist, “Beneath the Surface,” includes stories of complicated family dynamics, interrogations of Americana, scandalous romances, and even an intricate assassination plot.
Blue Velvet, Goldwyn’s first recommendation, is an eerie neo-noir film that goes “down the rabbit hole of darkness.” The film is set in an idyllic 1950’s American town but then, as Goldwyn explains, Blue Velvet “tak[es] the sacred cow of Americana and the American Dream and rip[s] back the artifice.”
Goldwyn’s second pick, The Manchurian Candidate, is a 1962 political thriller that feels just as relevant in our current political climate. Although the film is a Cold War-era tale, Goldwyn explains that “it’s old fashioned, in a way, but there’s something about it that feels super contemporary.” The Manchurian Candidate is a gripping exploration of the hidden layers of power and influence in American politics.
My Left Foot, Goldwyn’s final pick, showcases the incredible talent of Daniel Day Lewis. In this Academy Award winning role, Daniel Day Lewis plays a man born with cerebral palsy, only able to control his left foot — giving what Goldwyn calls “one of the greatest performances in film ever.”
Watch all of Tony Goldwyn’s Shortlist recommendations in the playlist above, and then click below to stream all three movies on Tribeca Shortlist.
As a bonus, check out our Quickfire round of questions with Tony Goldwyn to find out which actors he’d love work with — and his personal connection to his favorite romance film.
