There are few directors with as eclectic of a career as Nick Cassavetes. From The Notebook to God Is A Bullet, the type of movie he makes can span quite a wide range. He switches back and forth between darker stories and sappy romances so you never quite know what you’re going to get with him. His latest film, Marked Men: Rule + Shaw (which I can’t help but constantly call it Marked Men: Hobbs and Shaw) takes the latter approach and puts the book series Marked Men in his sights. The adaptation really wasn’t for me (check out my review HERE) but I’m sure there are teen girls who will love the melodrama on display here.
I sat down with stars Chase Stokes and Sydney Taylor to discuss the film. We discussed what it was like to work with director Nick Cassavetes and if there was any added pressure due to the fact that he previously directed The Notebook. We also got into their experience filming over in Bulgaria which sounded like it was quite the time for bonding, with the main cast members all tattooing one of the actors involved. Seeing as how Marked Men is based on a book series, we also discussed living up to the expectations of those book fans. Check it all out in the interview above!
Marked Men: Rule + Shaw plot synopsis:
Shaw, a pre-med student, has loved Rule, a rebellious tattoo artist, for years, though he’s only ever seen her as a family friend. After one uninhibited night, they’re forced to confront buried feelings while navigating grief, family expectations, and fear of commitment—testing whether love between two people from such different worlds can truly survive.
MARKED MEN: RULE + SHAW IS IN THEATERS FOR TWO DAYS ONLY ON JANUARY 22ND AND 23RD, 2025.
