Marlowe Trailer: Liam Neeson Embraces Noir In 1930s Detective Thriller

Liam Neeson is good at saving people, this we know. We know it practically like a proverb at this point, as the actor's penchant for high-octane thriller roles has evolved into somewhat of a parody over the years. But interestingly enough, he's going to take that archetype and place it in a different time period with "Marlowe," a new noir feature starring the "Taken" lead himself.

In the film's official trailer, we catch a glimpse of the actor as he slips into the world of 1930s Los Angeles. With his fedora and pinstripes, he takes on cases and meets the stunning Diane Kruger and Jessica Lange as the private detective susses out a mystery. And it seems that everyone he meets is in on the crime. Is the joke on him? 

According to Open Road Films, the movie is "a gripping noir crime thriller set in late 1930's Los Angeles, centers around a street-wise, down on his luck detective; Philip Marlowe, played by Liam Neeson, who is hired to find the ex-lover of a glamorous heiress (Diane Kruger), daughter of a well-known movie star (Jessica Lange). The disappearance unearths a web of lies, and soon Marlowe is involved in a dangerous, deadly investigation where everyone involved has something to hide."

It's going to be very fun to watch Liam Neeson play his usual action savior self, but in a noir context. Whether or not the film succeeds at being a good noir remains to be seen, but we can definitely deduce from the trailer that, at minimum, the cast will keep us invested.

Diane Kruger stars alongside Neeson, and if there's anything more exciting to see in this picture than Neeson himself, it's Kruger. Maybe it's just me, but she really excels in period pieces, especially those set in the early 1900s. I'm thinking "Inglourious Basterds," or at least, that role is one of my favorites of hers. It will be really fun to see her take on the reserved demeanor of a woman in this time period again, only this time balancing it with a nice dose of noir drama. Jessica Lange is, of course, an equally welcome addition to the cast. I mean, she's Jessica Lange, and she didn't get her reputation by being boring, that's for sure. I have a feeling she's going to spice things up considerably in this film.

"Marlowe" was directed by Neil Jordan and written by William Monahan, with Alan Moloney, Gary Levinsohn, Mark Fasano, Billy Hines, Philip Kim, and Patrick Hibler producing. It will premiere in U.S. theaters on February 15, 2023.