Sam Levinson has carved out an impressive career behind the camera in recent years, proving himself as a writer, director, and producer to watch.
It’s only worth noting he’s the son of Oscar-winning director Barry Levinson because of the films he’s worked on with his father, as both actor and writer. Otherwise, Sam has established himself aside from his dad’s legacy as one of American drama’s key voices in uncompromising drama – across film and TV.
Levinson’s work is often intense, but it’s been surprisingly diverse in the genres it’s touched. There’s also a notable amount of collaboration and adaptation in the catalog of this notable auteur with a distinctive voice.
His latest series, The Idol, has attracted considerable controversy before its release. An abrupt change of creatives after production has shone a light on the subject matter as much as its production, although it remains on track for a release on HBO Max sometime in 2023. Here’s where the latest uncompromising drama fits in with some of Levinson’s best-known work in front of and behind the camera.
The Idol (2023)
Long delayed, “the sleaziest love story in all of Hollywood” has done the business in pre-publicity, although quite what that business is remains to be seen. How do you follow the pandemic sensation of Euphoria? By developing this twisted take on A Star Is Born.
Lily-Rose Depp is Jocelyn, the aspiring pop starlet who falls into the arms of a self-help guru played by co-creator The Weeknd after having a nervous breakdown. Cults, fame, Hollywood — it ticks a lot of boxes. Levinson is credited as co-creator, writer, and director.
Another Happy Day (2011)
Levinson’s directorial debut premiered at Sundance Film Festival. A family drama set during a wedding, it boasted a stellar cast, including Ellen Barkin, Ellen Burstyn, Kate Bosworth, Thomas Haden Church, Ezra Miller, and Demi Moore. Despite being packed with unlikeable characters, the cast won plaudits, particularly Barkin.
Critics paused at the movie’s unflinching moments, and some accused it of histrionics, but the consensus was that this was a promising start for Levinson little more than a decade ago.
Bandits (2001)
Barry Levinson directed his son in this crime comedy-drama. The eclectic cast included Billy Bob Thornton, Cate Blanchett, and Bruce Willis, the first two of whom received accolades and award nominations. You’ve got to feel for Bruce.
The storyline drew loosely on the story of real-life bank robbers Terry Lee Conner and Joseph Dougherty, incorporating actual scenes from their heists – like breaking into a bank manager’s house.
Malcolm & Marie (2021)
When it came to pandemic pieces, Levinson didn’t flinch. Producing alongside Kid Cudi and its stars Zendaya and John David Washington, Levinson also wrote and directed this intense black-and-white drama that unfurls a real-time romance. The idea surfaced from the COVID-19 break that caused the writer and Zendaya to stop work on Euphoria.
Levinson won greater acclaim for his direction than his script, but as pandemic impact pieces went, it was one of the better ones.
Pearl and X (2022)
Surprised to see Levinson’s name behind these A24 horrors? Sure enough, he earned a producer credit on the slashers for the studio that supported several of his productions.
The quick turnaround, secretive production, and arthouse stylings undoubtedly attracted the filmmaker. Both films easily rank as the best-regarded movies Levinson’s been attached to so far if the Rotten Tomatoes audience appreciation is anything to go by.
Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Kornél Mundruczó’s uncompromising drama was adapted to film by a screenplay written by his wife, Kata Wéber, about her experience of miscarriage.
Levinson joined Martin Scorsese in executively producing the film that rightly earned Vanessa Kirby a Best Actress nod at the 2021 Academy Awards. A balance of grief and hope, it’s no surprise Levinson had a hand in it.
Stoic (2009)
Uwe Boll has achieved a legendary reputation as a director of video game adaptations. Considered the “world’s worst director,” this step into arthouse drama earned him one of his best audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes.
Stoic is the story of a poker game between cellmates that spirals out of control, told through brutal flashbacks. Levinson took one of the leading roles alongside Edward Furlong and Shaun Sipos.
Deep Water (2022)
Director Adrian Lyne added to his resume of erotic dramas — which included Indecent Proposal and 9 ½ Weeks — this psychological thriller adapted by Levinson and Zach Helm from Patricia Highsmith’s 1950s novel of the same name.
Starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas, the screenwriters boldly maxed out the book’s pulpy sensationalism and cut out the subtlety.
Assassination Nation (2018)
Borrowing from his father’s penchant for satire, Levinson wrote and directed this black comedy that imagined the fictional town of Salem ripped apart by a hacker who reveals personal secrets about its residents.
You know you’re in for an uncompromising ride when a movie starts with a montage of trigger warnings, including bullying, abuse, racism, homophobia, and torture. So far, Assassination Nation is Levinson’s highest-rated directorial achievement on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Wizard of Lies (2017)
Levinson Sr. directed this TV movie from a script his son wrote with Sam Baum and John Burnham Schwartz. A biopic of the Madoffs starring Robert De Niro as Bernie and Michelle Pfeiffer as his wife Ruth, it was well-received and got good ratings for its acting and direction.
It’s easy to see why — the movie takes a solid and fact-based approach to the real-life drama, giving its stars the room and material to shine.
Euphoria (2019 – present)
Euphoria cemented Levinson’s place on the list of drama pioneers to watch. Set in the fictional town of East Highland, California, the series was adapted from the Israeli miniseries of the same name, but Levinson clearly drew on his own well-documented teenage experiences of addiction to give us some of television’s most courageous moments in recent years.
Euphoria has attracted praise and controversy in equal measure. It doesn’t shy away from the realities of the sex lives of teenagers, which has garnered criticism from some critics and viewers. But its combination of stellar production, a kick-ass score, and astonishing performances have won it significant acclaim at the same time.
Many cast members have received accolades, and Zendaya has picked up two Primetime Emmy Awards in the leading role. In 2022, Levinson won a Directors Guild of America Award for Best Direction for the episode “Stand Still Like the Hummingbird.”