The trailer for John Boyega’s Imperial Dreams has dropped, and it has nothing to do with his Star Wars character or the empire.
Imperial Dreams and John Boyega’s name are where the Star Wars similarities end for Boyega’s recent film. The gritty, urban drama, which comes to us via Netflix debuted at Sundance back in 2014. It arrives today on streaming.
Boyega says in a voiceover in the trailer:
"“The hood is the cruelest of prisons, the most unusual of punishments. You’re born into it. And when you’re born in prison, you don’t know what to do with freedom.”"
The film centers around Boyega’s character, a young father living out of his car on the streets with his young son, played by Ethan and Justin Coach, who are trying to make a fresh, new start for themselves at home in Watts, Los Angeles following Boyega’s release from prison after an assault with a deadly weapon stint.
It’s a far cry from playing Finn in Star Wars: The Force Awakens – and yet, Boyega still seems to bring his A game to the table.
It’s dark, and heavy, but it looks every bit real. Boyega, as a reformed gangster, is just trying to do the right thing – by his son, by himself. He’s trying to be a writer – not push drugs, not be involved in gang life anymore. Boyega laments in the video:
"“Not all losses are the same, only the ones that stop you from ever fighting again make you a loser, make you go back to what’s easy, what you know. All the other losses just serve to strengthen you. To pay for what’s ahead.”"
The film, directed by Malik Vitthal and co-written by Ismet Prcic, hailed positive reviews from with Variety, the New Yorker, Examiner and more after its Sundance premiere two years ago, and currently holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
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Imperial Dreams also stars Rotimi, De’aundre Bonds, Keke Palmer and Glenn Plummer, and was filmed on location in Los Angeles.