Remember that two-year period when James McAvoy was a sexy up-and-coming actor capable of carrying great films like The Last King of Scotland and Atonement? Apparently the Scot took time off from such award-worthy projects to star in Penelope and Robert Redford's The Conspirator, a historical drama about the only female co-conspirator charged in the Abraham Lincoln assassination (played by a haggard-looking Robin Wright). The trailer for the latter was released today, and judging from those two minutes, The Conspirator will play out like a lesser History Channel movie and put you to sleep like a box full of Benadryl. Although there is one exciting moment, courtesy of a very unlikely actor.
But don't take my advice (and not see this movie) or the implicit advice of the extra who fell asleep next to Long during the filming of his scene (pictured above). Take the advice of Movieline's own Michelle Orange who already reviewed the film at last year's Toronto Film Festival and confirmed our suspicions: The Conspirator is so dry that "something large and violently caffeinated" is needed to keep from dozing off the way you did in American History class.
VERDICT: Unless Robert Redford re-edits the entire film so that it centers on Civil War-era Justin Long and his red bow tie, no thanks.