Based on the novel by Philip Roth set in 1968, American Pastoral tells the story of working class family-man Swede Levov, a quintessential member of his small town community who struggles to keep his family together when word breaks of his disgruntled daughter (played by Dakota Fanning) and her involvement in a criminal act of political demonstration. Ewan McGregor plays the main character alongside Jennifer Connelly as his wife.

The trailer differs from the average trailer we have come to expect as it is for the most part an artful montage set to a cover of Tears for Fears’ ‘Mad World‘, showcasing the mood and emotional state of the film with only brief helpings of dialogue to explain the plot. The masterful cinematography and design paired with snippets alluding to impeccable performances strongly set American Pastoral up as one of the finest and most moving films of the year. Although a look at Dakota Fanning’s resume shows she has been working consistently throughout her career, it has been a while since a film with her involvement has been brought to my attention so it is fantastic to see as she is by far one of the most brilliant actresses of her generation. The casting of Jennifer Connelly is a gift and completes this as a sure fire hit in my books. Rumour has it that due to his background as an actor, McGregor allowed for a lot of time to rehearse with the cast before each scene, and it looks as though this method has paid off. The cast also includes Peter Riegert, Rupert Evans, Uzo Aruba (of Orange is the New Black) and Valorie Curry who I am eager to see in a new role since her brilliant performance in The Following. 

American Pastoral is already out in the US and will be released theatrically in the UK later this week. You can watch the trailer below.

Dakota Fanning in American Pastoral

Jennifer Connelly in American Pastoral