The Comeback Trail

This 2020 American crime comedy film, directed by George Gallo, is a remake of the 1982 film of the same name. Set in 1974, the story follows Hollywood producer Max Barber (Robert De Niro), who, after his latest film flops, finds himself indebted to mobster Reggie Fontaine (Morgan Freeman). To settle his debt, Max devises a plan to produce a movie starring aging and suicidal Western actor Duke Montana (Tommy Lee Jones), intending to stage Duke's death during filming to collect the insurance money. However, all attempts to kill Duke through stunts — including setting him on fire, collapsing a bridge, and a bull attack — fail. As filming progresses, Max realizes they're creating a genuinely good movie, and his nephew and assistant Walter Creason (Zach Braff) becomes suspicious of Max's true intentions. When the truth comes out and Reggie and his thugs attempt to kill Duke, Walter shows them the raw footage, convincing them to let the film be completed. The movie is released successfully, and Duke, despite the betrayal, finishes the project. The cast also includes Emile Hirsch as rival producer James Moore, Eddie Griffin as Devin Wilton, and Kate Katzman as Megan Albert.