Laura Linney: “Congo” Is My ‘Great Bad Movie’

Laura Linney first came to many people’s attention in the 1990s with a series of notable roles in films like “Primal Fear,” “Dave,” “Absolute Power,” the mini-series “Tales of the City,” and most famously “The Truman Show”.

But one of her earliest credits, and a leading role at that, still holds a place in some people’s hearts – Frank Marshall’s 1995 film adaptation of Michael Crichton’s adventure novel “Congo”.

Adapted by John Patrick Shanley, the original film starred Linney along with Ernie Hudson, Tim Curry, Dylan Walsh, Bruce Campbell, Delroy Lindo, Grant Heslov, Joe Pantoliano, John Hawkes, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Joe Don Baker.

It followed a communications conglomerate-backed expedition into the African jungle to try to find a missing team of diamond hunters. They soon discover the ruins of an ancient civilisation, a race of intelligent, vicious and lethal grey gorillas.

Though slammed with negative reviews at the time, the film ended up faring OK at the box-office – tripling its $50 million budget – and has since found more of a fanbase on home video as its campy/goofy tone has come to be more embraced.

In a career spanning interview with The Independent in the UK, the 62-year-old actress discussed her most successful works from “Ozark” to “Truman Show,” “Love Actually,” and more. “Congo” comes up at one point and she defends the film for what it is:

“Congo’s one of the great bad movies of our time!. It’s a great one. It’s a delightmare. That’s what I call it…. I haven’t watched it in so long. I’ll go back to it when I’m really old and want to feel good about myself, and be like, ‘Oh God, I was young. I was sweet – look at that. And look at my arms!’ I’ll do that.”

Linney currently stars in the new MGM+ series “American Classic” about a narcissistic Broadway star (Kevin Kline) who returns to his hometown after a public meltdown and decides to save his family-run theatre.