Matt Dillon Slated to Receive Lifetime Achievement Award at Locarno Film Festival

Matt Dillon to Be Honored at Locarno This Year

One of our most underappreciated actors, Matt Dillon, will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Locarno Film Festival.

As a young man in the 1980’s, Matt Dillon made a name for himself with his roles in terrific films like The Outsiders and Rumble Fish. He carried on his fantastic career in his role in the controversial 1998 sexy drama, Wild Things opposite Neve Campbell and Denise Richards but his biggest film that same year was the goofy Farrelly Brothers movie, There’s Something About Mary. Who can forget Pat Healy, the bumbling character who was trying to steal Cameron Diaz’s Mary from Ben Stiller in that Farrelly Brothers gem? He carried on throughout the decades and is now being honored at the Locarno Film Festival this coming August.

This award presentation will be held on August 4th, to be precise. Drugstore Cowboy, directed by the great Gus Van Sant will be screened as will City of Ghosts. It’s the perfect time to honor the versatile Dillon who I just reviewed in the highly intriguing new film, Land of Dreams, where Dillon shone as bright as he did back in his glory days. In fact, Dillon appeared in the 2005 Best Picture Winner, Crash, where he excelled in a dramatic role and this new part in Land of Dreams brings him back into top form.

I remember when they shot part of Matt Dillon’s 1984 gem, The Flamingo Kid, back in my hometown of Woodhaven, Queens, New York. People in the neighborhood I grew up in were so excited at the prospect of a Matt Dillon movie being shot there and I remember people in the Associated supermarket (where they were filming outside) discussing how much of a great actor Dillon was and how handsome he was. It’s gratifying to see Dillon finally getting the recognition he so much deserves.

Dillon returned to comedy in the early part of the 2000’s with You, Me and Dupree in 2006. Dillon played opposite Owen Wilson, Kate Hudson and Michael Douglas, The result was a movie which was a surprising box-office hit scoring $75 million domestically at the box-office with Coldplay’s song, “Fix You” featured in a key scene.

Dillon showed his darker side in an admirable performance in Lars von Trier’s disturbing 2018 movie, The House That Jack Built which remains, perhaps, the most difficult movie I’ve ever had to watch. Dillon has never been afraid of taking risks and this role was definitely the most frightening one he’s ever played.

Dillon is in good company as past recipients of Locarno’s Lifetime Achievement Award include the terrific movie star, Harrison Ford, who won the award back in 2011. Dillon is a truly distinct actor with versatility that makes him a natural choice to be honored by the prestigious Locarno Film Festival. Congratulations, Matt Dillon!

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