Ben Whishaw has found himself often in roles that support a larger story. Whether it's playing Q in the recent James Bond films or being part of the large ensemble of films like Cloud Atlas, the dedicated performer has not taken the lead in a major film in some time. That's not to say he hasn't shined whether it's voicing Paddington Bear in two acclaimed films (and a follow-up television series) or his Emmy-nominated role in the limited series A Very English Scandal, but he hasn't led a major film since Perfume: The Story of a Murderer.
While his upcoming film Surge is not the tale of a psycho trying to mix the scents of dead women to make the perfect perfume, it does see him take his look of repression from that film and take on the role of an airport security guard named Joseph who, an impulsive act of rebellion, Joseph unleashes a wilder version of himself. As he is propelled on a reckless journey through London, he ultimately experiences what it feels like to be alive after living a life without meaning in his soulless job. It's a film that was halted like many others by the COVID-19 pandemic though, when it made it's world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2020, Whishaw received World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for Acting at the Sundance Film Festival. So clearly, it's a film that allows the actor to finally shine in a film focused on his performance.
The official trailer has been released ahead of it's US release in September (on the 24th to be exact) which depicts Whishaw masterfully capturing a character who slowly is driven to the brink by repression and inner frustration. Check it out below:
Surge co-stars Ellie Haddington, Ian Gelder, and Jasmine Jobson. It is directed by Aneil Karia (who co-wrote the script with Rupert Jones and Rita Kalnejasis).