Tom Hardy Stars as an Investigator Awakening to Humanity

Tom Rob Smith's novel 'Child 44,' published in the UK in 2008, took the world by storm. It received global acclaim, including the Crime Writers' Association's highest honor, the Ian Fleming Steel Dagger Award. Meanwhile, inspired by the real-life Andrei Chikatilo serial murders in the former Soviet Union, the work exposes the darkness of the Soviet era, which the state still refuses to acknowledge, making it a banned book in Russia.

Ridley Scott, a master filmmaker, took notice of this novel before its publication and pursued its film adaptation. While he initially intended to direct, he was so impressed by the talent of Daniel Espinosa, director of 'Easy Money'—the highest-grossing Swedish film of all time—that he entrusted him with the major role, focusing his own efforts on production support.

Tom Hardy, who also starred in 'Mad Max: Fury Road,' plays the protagonist Leo. He delivers a powerful performance as a ruthless investigator, devoted entirely to the state, who awakens to a more human way of life and grows as a person. The cast also includes acclaimed actors such as veteran Gary Oldman and Noomi Rapace, who previously appeared in Scott's 'Prometheus.'

Demoted Investigator Leo Tackles a Serial Murder Case

In 1953, under Stalin's regime in the Soviet Union, a series of child deaths with peculiar characteristics—found naked, with stomachs removed, and drowned—were discovered. However, in accordance with Stalin's doctrine that 'there are no murders in an ideal state,' all cases were officially treated as accidents.

Leo, an elite investigator, is demoted and sent to the provinces after being suspected of espionage while trying to protect his wife. Motivated by the death of a friend's son, he decides to investigate the case. However, as his investigation progresses, he faces obstruction from the state and puts his beloved wife in danger. In a country where truth is so easily distorted, can Leo find the killer?

To faithfully recreate the novel's world, the film was shot in the Czech Republic, where Soviet-style buildings still stand. While pursuing the truth behind the serial murders, the film vividly depicts betrayal, the darkness of the Stalinist regime, and the heavy, unsettling atmosphere of the era.



'Child 44'
Opening Friday, July 3rd, at TOHO Cinemas Miyukiza and other theaters nationwide.
Director | Daniel Espinosa
Starring | Tom Hardy, Gary Oldman, Noomi Rapace, Joel Kinnaman, Paddy Considine, Jason Clarke, Vincent Cassel
Distributor | Gaga
2015 / USA / 137 min
http://child44.gaga.ne.jp


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