In a genre where it’s all too easy to forget about the characters, director Nick Rowland is making thoughtful, more emotionally heavy action films. While watching his sophomore future, She Rides Shotgun, which stars Taron Egerton and newcomer Ana Sophia Heger as an estranged father/daughter duo marked for death by an Aryan gang he went to prison over for murdering their leader, I was reminded of Calm with Horses, an Irish crime thriller starring Cosmo Jarvis and Barry Keoghan that explored similar themes of fatherhood, brutality, and a soft vulnerability underneath.
Before writing my review of the film, I genuinely had no idea the same person directed it. That’s hugely complementary, as it allows for the observation and noticing of a filmmaker’s voice shining through across multiple projects, yet also through films that differ in story, style, and execution.
Based on Jordan Harper’s novel and working from a script by Ben Collins and Luke Piotrowski, Nick Rowland smartly frames much of the drama and action from the perspective of young Polly, played by newcomer Ana Sophia Heger in an astonishing breakthrough performance, the likes of which few child actors could only ever dream of achieving. Meanwhile, Taron Egerton plays Nate, a man freshly released from prison who is determined to protect the daughter he has never known at any cost.
Again, what makes this film special is that Nick is fully interested in letting smaller and quieter moments breathe, allowing them to bond and for Polly to work through complicated thoughts about her father. There is also no interest in judging Nate’s past, doing so without leaning into a preachy redemption arc. It’s thoughtful, violent, and moving, typically often all within the same scene. I fully believe this is one of the year’s best films so far, and certainly a top-3 contender as far as action movies go. Please enjoy my interview with director Nick Rowland below:
I love the film! Two early moments told me I was going to: the first is the hair-dying scene, which is beautifully acted and shows that this will be about the characters as much as the action; the other instance is during that first fight in the bathroom, where it becomes clear that most of the violence will be seen from Polly’s perspective. And Ana Sophia Heger is also tremendous here. Could you discuss how you coached her during those sequences?
Well, thank you so much! I love both of those scenes very much. We had to be very efficient in tracking their arc and their relationship, as well as how they connect. In terms of actual screen time and scenes, we had only a few from the very start, where you’re not sure if Nate is good or bad, or if he is the hero. Or is he the antagonist? To transition from that tension to a few scenes later, when their organic love is forming, required… I mean, it’s down to Taron and Ana. Their chemistry was real, and their trust in each other was genuine.
From my perspective as a director, even though we had only 25 days to make the film, it was essential to allow space for genuine moments of connection to break through. To do that, it was about not going into scenes thinking there’s a right way or a wrong way, but rather having confident curiosity to explore the scene, work it, try things out, and search for moments, rather than trying to hone in on one thing. So, really, about trying to find the gifts of the moment. That haircut scene is an excellent example of how fluid it was, and it was about creating the right safe environment for them to play.
However, you then have something like a fight scene that you reference in the bathroom. That’s almost the opposite. It’s pre-visualized and planned out, with a strong focus on health and safety. We have to shoot it in a way that protects Ana, because she was ten years old when we made the film. She has a great deal of emotional maturity and bravery, but we also had to shoot it in a way that limited what she was exposed to.
So two very different scenes, one that was very free and very much about discovery. And the other one was very precise, because again, when you have 25 days, you have to be very efficient and economical with how you shoot the stunts because they take a lot of time. For me, what I really wanted was to make sure that when there was an action sequence or a stunt, it still felt grounded in the same tone and language of the movie. And I’m really glad that felt clear to you that we’re always, sort of, in Polly’s experience, and we’re sort of subjectively in her world, experiencing the story. That was always at the forefront of all our decisions.
You brought up a lot of stuff I want to touch on. This is a different kind of action role for Taron Egerton, who’s outstanding here. Like you said, this is a much more grounded film than something like Kingsman, or it’s not as silly as something like Carry On. So what did you see in him that made you confident he was right for this kind of violence and emotional vulnerability?
He’s such an extraordinary actor because he can hold brutality and tenderness in the same breath. His performance in this is wonderful and stripped of vanity. It was very much alive, and he was so focused on listening and being present with Ana. He’s become a very dear friend of mine. We plan to make many more films together because it’s terrific when you’re creatively in sync with someone like that. It was very straightforward. We met in the summer of 2023, and we hit it off. We had lunch together, and we decided very quickly that we wanted to do the movie together.
What was interesting about casting Taron, who was 34 when we made the film, is that he would be playing a young dad. He’s playing a young guy who’s been in prison for the last six years. He doesn’t know what it means to be a father. So, he almost starts the film acting more like an older brother than a father. Seeing him learn what it means to be a father, even when he’s running out of road, is what moves me about his performance. I couldn’t be happier with his performance and the chemistry with Ana. That is the heart and soul of the movie. I’m so proud of both of them.
Can you talk about building that chemistry between them? I imagine it’d be difficult to pull off, since, as you said, you have a child actor who probably can’t see the whole script and understand that these characters are estranged.
Interestingly, we did our chemistry read with Ana and Taron, and Taron was so gentle with Ana, and I remember that at the start of the audition, he said, “If you are a bit nervous, don’t worry, because I’m nervous too.” It’s perfectly normal and natural. And Ana said, “I guess I’m a bit nervous, but I also know I’m ready.” There was something about the way she said it that I think we all realized she was the right person for the role. Likewise with Taron. He has sisters of a similar age, and I think he has an awful lot of sensitivity and compassion; he’s a very empathetic man. So, a big part of what made this project special for him was building the connection, which wasn’t just on screen; it was a genuine connection that they formed.
It was organic due to time scales and other factors. Taron was only able to arrive in New Mexico shortly before we started filming. So, it was essentially about ensuring the space felt both safe and playful. And Ana’s a pro. She was ten years old when we made it, but I could work with her in the same way I worked with Taron or John Caroll Lynch. She understands acting, and she’s already developed her craft to such an incredible level. I’m really excited to see what she does next.
I also love your first film, Calm with Horses, but that was an Irish crime thriller with Barry Keoghan, and here you’re using American characters. So what’s the difference in making an Irish crime thriller versus an American one, and do you approach them any differently?
Thank you for saying that. There is some connective tissue between the two films.
Fatherhood.
Yeah, fatherhood. That’s a theme in many of the things I’ve done. The blending of tenderness with brutality is something I really like. I like how those two things blend with each other and bounce off of each other, and there’s the friction between them. I always find that a very moving combination. In terms of the… I honestly approach it in the same way I try as a filmmaker. I try to think about, well, what does something feel like? What did I feel when I first experienced the story, and how can I try to empathize with what that might feel like for these characters?
Every decision I make is always about what comes from the characters. This was my first American film, but I’ve always loved American cinema. It’s always been my dream to make a film in America. And I hope to make many more if I’m privileged enough to be able to. Every day on set, I was just so grateful to be standing in New Mexico with this team of people. It made the days, even though they were long, hard, and cold, a very fulfilling and joyful experience.
You’re 2/2 for me, and I look forward to whatever you do next. And I hope you get to work with Taron again, like you want to
If we have anything to do with it, we’ll be doing several things together. So thank you. I appreciate you saying that, and thank you for taking the time to talk with me.
You’re welcome. It was wonderful.
SEE ALSO: Read our review of She Rides Shotgun here
Many thanks to Nick Rowland for taking the time for this interview.
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association, Critics Choice Association, and Online Film Critics Society. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews and follow my BlueSky or Letterboxd
