Nobody can stop talking about the summer's hit Netflix series Stranger Things, especially not Aaron Paul, who may be the show's biggest fan. When not promoting his own projects, he's been all over Twitter talking about his love for the Duffer brothers' creation. In an interview with Bustle, Aaron Paul explains why he wanted to join his latest film, and he might be pleased to know that as soon as I heard his answer, I knew that The 9th Life of Louis Drax is a movie every Stranger Things fan needs to see.
"From the moment I started reading this script, I was just captivated. It really took me into this beautiful, visual world," Paul says of the movie, which is out Sept. 2. "There was so many different sides of Peter Drax [Louis' father] — some are true, some are not — and I love that, just different perspectives, ideas of who this guy was or is ... I couldn't wait to jump on board. I just love playing characters that are dealing with a lot, because, as an actor, it's just so much fun to play."
The 9th Life Of Louis Drax is a thriller that follows the titular young boy who has a history of accidents, his biggest being that he falls off a cliff and lands in the hospital, comatose. The tension between his parents and his seeming ability to connect to both the living universe, and another world occupied with a sludgy black creature, provide an unsettling backdrop to the curious mystery of what happened leading up to Louis' fall.
Another uniquely visual world filled with complex, multi-faceted characters? Netflix's Stranger Things. As fans of the show know, there's an eerie quality to the 1980s mystery/thriller series. In it, a town falls victim to an other-worldly monster and its alternate dimension, The Upside Down — a version of the real world set dangerously askew. The show centers on a group of children who are really the main players in the series, with most of the adults serving as totally naive supporting characters.
And, I'm not saying that the movie and the show are similar just because Paul's in one and loves the other. Though he does really love the Netflix series. He previously told Jimmy Fallon during The Tonight Show that he wants to adopt Millie Bobby Brown, the actor who plays Eleven. Paul also took to Twitter to thank the Duffer brothers on behalf of "everyone" for the masterpiece that is Stranger Things. So, yeah, he's pretty obsessed.
In both the movie and the show, things are never as they seem and peculiar children take the main stage, which can sometimes be a tricky focus for a project if the right young actors aren't chosen. But, just like Millie Bobby Brown and her cohorts in Stranger Things seem wise beyond their acting years, Aiden Longworth brings Louis to life in a way even an adult actor may not be able to achieve.
Although Paul never makes that connection aloud, he compares himself and Stranger Things when talking about his own childhood, and what he was like as a kid. "Maybe like Louis," he muses. "[I was] mischievous, always seeking an adventure," Paul says. "Are you watching, Stranger Things? It reminds me of being a child, where there weren't cell phones and neighborhoods were sort of invaded by kids on their BMX bikes — that was me. It was beautiful."
If you aren't watching Stranger Things, you should be. And, if you already have, you can stay in that eerie, other-worldly space by checking out The 9th Life Of Louis Drax.
Image: Summit
