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Movies & TV

13th Feb 2013

Video: Matt Damon and John Krasinski write and star in Promised Land

Matt Damon and John fight on opposing sides in land-war drama Promised Land

JOE

Matt Damon and John fight on opposing sides in land-war drama Promised Land

By Genna Patterson

Matt Damon reunites with Good Will Hunting director Gus Van Sant to act in Promised Land, a movie he co-wrote with The US Office’s John Krasinski. Damon plays Steve Butler, a salesman for a natural gas company sent to a small town to buy their drilling rights to local gas. His partner Sue Thompson is played by Francis McDormand (Moonrise Kingdom).

The pair assume the deal will be easy as the town in Pennsylvania has been hit by economic decline in recent years, however teacher Dustin Noble (Krasinski) starts a campaign against the gas company. Rosmarie DeWitt (Your Sister’s Sister) plays the love interest Alice.

As the grassroots campaign grows, Butler begins to question his own ethics and that of his company. The screenplay was written initially as a story by Dave Eggers, then adapted by Krasinski, who brought Damon on board.

Release date: 19 April nationwide.

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