By Hanna Rantala and Miranda Murray
BERLIN (Reuters) – British actor Sam Riley, who shot to fame playing Ian Curtis in 2007’s “Control”, said he could relate to the feelings of wasted potential that plague his character in “Islands”, a vacation noir that had its world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival.
“I got this amazing opportunity when I was 26, but my life was a mess just as I got it,” he told Reuters about his chance to play the Joy Division lead singer.
“And then it sort of turned out completely different. But it could have just carried on as a nearly rock star from Leeds drinking himself to death,” added Riley, who was lead singer in the band 10,000 Things from the English city in the early 2000s.
“Islands” stars Riley as a washed-up tennis instructor working at a resort on Spain’s Canary Islands who becomes enamoured with the mother of one of his students, played by French actor Stacy Martin.
At his own expense, he becomes swept up in her marital problems, which become more acute after her husband, played by Jack Farthing, goes missing following a night out on the town.
Riley, who also played Jack Kerouac in 2012’s “On the Road”, recalled how people would approach him for tennis lessons during shooting, which took place at a hotel season during peak season.
“We had a guy come and do a scene with water aerobics, which isn’t offered by the hotel, and guests were just climbing into the pool to come and join in,” said Riley.
“Islands” is German director Jan Ole Gerster’s first English-language film and was inspired by a real-life tennis coach at a holiday resort in Fuerteventura, he told Reuters.
He said the man seemed a bit lost and lonely. “It started as the drama of a character who’s disconnected with the world around him,” said Gerster, also the screenwriter.
“I’m fascinated by the tragedy of unfulfilled potential and why it’s sometimes so difficult for us to go for the things that are really good for us and that we want,” he added.
While developing the script, there were, to his surprise, elements of noir in it, Gerster said.
“And we went for it, and it turned into this genre mix of drama, vacation noir and thriller,” he said.
“Islands” will be released in cinemas on May 8.
(Reporting by Hanna Rantala, Writing by Miranda Murray, Editing by William Maclean)
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