Tim Roth in Arbitrage
Tim Roth stars in writer/director Nicholas Jarecki’s debut Arbitrage (2012, out in digital platforms from 1st July and on Blu-ray and DVD from 15th July) as Detective Bryer, a police officer who suspects Richard Gere’s business magnate Robert Miller of manslaughter following a fatal car accident.
Tim Roth’s screen presence is equally as commanding as it is charming, and it’s easy to forget just how Roth’s career came to be; starring as British tearaways as a youth; an electrifying presence in any film he graces, here we track London-born Roth’s progress from young emerging talent to character-acting A-lister.
- Made in Britain (1983)
Tim Roth’s screen debut came at the age of 21 in the 1983 TV film Made in Britain where he played a hell-raising criminal.
Written by David Leland (currently a lead writer on television’s The Borgias), this was the debut which led to Roth’s silver screen debut a mere year later; Mike Leigh’s Meantime, where he played an introverted shy character, the polar opposite of Made in Britain’s Trevor.
- The Hit (1984)
Roth continued to showcase his versatility with a BAFTA-nominated performance (for Best Newcomer) in Stephen Frears’ The Hit (1984), in which he starred alongside established actors John Hurt and Terence Stamp - the latter’s first role in over a decade.
- Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Roles as Van Gogh in Vincent & Theo (1990, directed by Robert Altman) and Tom Stoppard’s 1990 comedy-drama Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead, found Roth deemed a member of the Brit Pack - the UK’s answer to America’s Brat Pack - alongside Gary Oldman and Colin Firth, when new director on the scene Quentin Tarantino cast Roth as Mr Orange in Reservoir Dogs (1992). This role ensured Roth became a household name.
- Pulp Fiction (1994)
1994 saw Tarantino cast Roth in a smaller, but equally as memorable role in Pulp Fiction.
Appearing in the film’s opening and climax as Pumpkin, his double-act performance alongside Amanda Plummer’s Honey-bunny has embedded itself into popular culture, not least thanks to the world famous Misirlou title track.
- Rob Roy (1995)
It was the following year’s villainous appearance in Rob Roy that saw Roth become a BAFTA winner and Oscar nominee (for Best Supporting Actor - he lost out to Kevin Spacey for The Usual Suspects.)
Starring opposite Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange and John Hurt once again, Roth received critical acclaim, further standing up to the demands of the talent surrounding him.
- Planet of the Apes (2001)
Several more roles followed (including a performance in Woody Allen’s Everyone Says I Love You, and directorial debut The War Zone,) when Roth appeared in Tim Burton’s remake of Planet of the Apes - a role for which he turned down the chance to play Severus Snape in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
This career choice proved Roth wasn’t just a credible actor, but a courageous risk-taker, despite the remake’s critical panning.
- Youth Without Youth (2007)
Francis Ford Coppola’s first film since The Rainmaker in 1997, Roth headed this fantasy alongside a cast of foreign unknowns. Here he stars as Dominic Matei, a 70-year-old professor of linguistics who regenerates into a younger man when struck by lightning.
Tarantino, Burton, Coppola - it’s easy to see that Roth’s acting decisions may be swayed by the auteur behind the lens, proved even more so by his appearance in Michael Haneke’s remake of Funny Games (2008).
- Lie to Me (2009-2011)
Roth was the first of several British actors who have recently invaded American television, starring as the lead in three seasons of Lie to Me (2009-2011) in which he played Dr. Cal Lightman, a genius psychologist with an expertise in body language.
Although ultimately cancelled by Fox, Lie to Me saw consistent ratings over its three televised seasons, and Roth could quite possibly have been the only lead character in US history to have been a West Ham United fan.
- Broken (2012)
Playwright Rufus Norris’ debut Broken starred an 11-year-old newcomer Eloise Lawrence as Skunk, a diabetic schoolgirl knocked by events that occur on the estate surrounding her.
An ensemble cast, including Cillian Murphy and Rory Kinnear, it is Tim Roth that makes the biggest impact as Skunk’s father Archie, a calm presence amongst the tumultuous events. This film makes it clear that Tim Roth is one of Britain’s most reliable talents.
-Arbitrage (2012)
Tim Roth stars in writer/director Nicholas Jarecki’s debut Arbitrage as Detective Bryer, a police officer who suspects Richard Gere’s business magnate Robert Miller of manslaughter following a fatal car accident.
Tim Roth’s screen presence is equally as commanding as it is charming, and it’s easy to forget just how Roth’s career came to be; starring as British tearaways as a youth; an electrifying presence in any film he graces, here we track London-born Roth’s progress from young emerging talent to character-acting A-lister.
Arbitrage is available now on digital platforms and is available on Blu-ray and DVD from July 15th and on pre-order now
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