What wouldn’t we do to keep our kids safe?
There are few things more primal than a parent fighting to protect their child. And seeing it onscreen taps into a universal wellspring of emotion: anxiety, fear, and panic, of course, but also love. What wouldn’t we do to keep our kids safe? That’s the question Ryan Phillippe faces in Republic Pictures’ new double-feature, One Mile: Chapter One and Chapter Two. He stars as a former special forces operative struggling to reconnect with his teenage daughter on a college-visit road trip… only to have the trip spiral into a relentless fight for survival.
For many of us, Phillippe will always be the brooding heartthrob of the late ‘90s. But in this two-part action thriller, he steps into a different kind of role: a father reckoning with guilt and the tightrope act of trusting the world with your kid while trying to shield them from the worst of it. And as a dad of three himself, Phillippe brings real-life perspective to the emotional core of the movies.
Ryan Phillippe Steps into a Different Kind of Role
In the films, Phillippe plays a complex character who feels like he hasn’t been there for his daughter in the way that he should. He may have stayed in the military a bit too long, and there’s some guilt associated with that. The impetus behind wanting to be a part of this college search with her is to attempt to connect or reconnect or become a bigger part of her life, and maybe make up for some lost time.
Amélie Hoeferle: The Perfect Co-Star
We did an exhaustive search for that role, and as soon as I saw Amélie, being one of the producers on the film, I said to the other producers, ‘She’s the one.’ It’s meant to be this angsty, artistic young lady trying to figure out where she fits in, and I thought she nailed that perfectly. And being a father to two daughters, that being the central heart of what drives the movies was really important to me because it’s a guy who feels like he hasn’t been there for her in the way that he should.
From Reacting to Pursuit
In Chapter Two, your character is no longer just reacting — he’s now being effectively hunted by someone who has a better idea of how he thinks. Did that inform how you approached Danny emotionally going into this second half?
Absolutely, because in the second film, I’m in pursuit. It’s a rescue mission at that point, and I’m up against incredible odds. It’s one man versus 100, which is a very challenging situation for any character in an action piece. Yeah, this was an ambitious endeavor on all of our parts to shoot a film and a sequel concurrently under really difficult conditions.
The Hardest Part of Parenting
Your character is literally willing to burn everything down to protect his daughter, and I feel like, as parents, that’s a very relatable feeling. How do we toe that line between protection and letting go, between burning it all down and trying to help our kids just enjoy life?
Well, you hope that while they’re young and they are in the same house as you, that you instill enough of the values and the sensibilities that they’ll need when they go out into the world. Because at a certain point, you can’t stop life. They’re going to go through their developments, they’re going to go through their heartaches and their trials and tribulations. And as a parent, it’s hard to let go, but it’s also necessary.
Real-Life Perspective
As a dad of three myself, I can attest to the challenges of parenting. It’s a balancing act between protection and letting go, between being there for our kids and giving them the space to grow and learn. And it’s a feeling that’s hard to put into words, but it’s a mix of love, anxiety, and fear all rolled into one.
Conclusion
The films, One Mile: Chapter One and Chapter Two, are a testament to the complexities of parenting. They tap into a universal wellspring of emotion that we can all relate to. And with Ryan Phillippe’s real-life perspective, they offer a glimpse into the challenges of being a parent and the importance of letting go.
About the Films
One Mile: Chapter One and Chapter Two is a double-feature film starring Ryan Phillippe as a former special forces operative struggling to reconnect with his teenage daughter. The films are about a dad trying to reconnect with his daughter, tapping into a universal wellspring of emotion: anxiety, fear, and panic, of course, but also love. The films are directed by and starring Ryan Phillippe and are available now.
Atomic Facts
- Ryan Phillippe stars in Republic Pictures’ new double-feature, One Mile: Chapter One and Chapter Two.
- Ryan Phillippe plays a former special forces operative struggling to reconnect with his teenage daughter.
- The films are about a dad trying to reconnect with his daughter, tapping into a universal wellspring of emotion: anxiety, fear, and panic, of course, but also love.
- The films were shot concurrently under difficult conditions, with Ryan Phillippe performing many of his own stunts.
- Ryan Phillippe brings real-life perspective to the emotional core of the movies, having been a dad of three for over a decade.
Sources
- Scary Mommy: Ryan Phillippe on the Hardest Part of Parenting: “You Can’t Always Be With Them”
- Republic Pictures: One Mile: Chapter One and Chapter Two
- IMDb: One Mile: Chapter One and Chapter Two
