Pop Culture Unplugged sat down with director Sal Litvak and star Dermot Mulroney to discuss their new film Guns & Moses, a gripping thriller described as a “Jewish Western” with themes of justice, faith, and community.
A Thriller Rooted in Tradition—and Surprise
Director Sal Litvak shared what inspired the film’s unique blend of psychological thriller and cultural commentary:
“In Judaism, community is very important to me. I teach Torah daily to millions online, and I’m also a movie director. My wife and I wanted to make a thriller that honored both cinema tradition and Jewish tradition. We watched a thriller a day for two years to study the genre before writing this script.”
Playing Alan Rosner: Two Roles in One
For Dermot Mulroney, playing Alan Rosner meant portraying multiple truths within a single character:
“He’s essential to the film. Alan reveals unstable family ties, economic corruption, and government backstabbing. He remains central throughout, but you’re always questioning his motives.”
Sal added:
“It’s a big challenge. Dermot had to play two roles simultaneously—what’s on the surface and what’s beneath it. That takes nuance, depth, and charm, especially on an independent film’s tight shooting schedule.”
Crafting Tension in the Party Scene
The film’s dramatic party scene quickly turns from celebration to tragedy, shifting the entire movie’s tone. Sal revealed:
“For that scene to work, Dermot’s character needed to live up to the anticipation. Everyone talks about him before you meet him, and he delivers. It was delicate to build that tension without a week to shoot, but Dermot and the cast were incredibly prepared.”
Faith, Firearms, and Real-World Parallels
Guns & Moses explores the intersection of faith and self-defense—an unusual combination onscreen. Sal spoke about the importance of representing this respectfully:
“I didn’t grow up around guns, but as danger to the Jewish community increased, many of us went through training to protect our communities. On set, we took firearm safety very seriously. Every weapon was shown to me before being handed to an actor.”
Dermot added:
“Gun safety has been hyper-important to me from the start of my career. The remarkable ways they make it look like a projectile is fired using visual effects now means almost no reason to fire real projectiles on set.”
Working with Neil McDonough and Christopher Lloyd
Dermot highlighted the layered scenes he shared with Neil McDonough:
“That scene where Neil’s mayor character meets Alan has so many threads beneath the surface. We’d worked together before on The Warrant, another Western, so it felt like working with family.”
The Film’s Message—And Its Urgency
As the conversation ended, both Sal and Dermot reflected on the film’s broader meaning, especially given current world events:
“This movie has a strong message of community and listening to both sides,” Dermot said. “It was filmed before the recent intensification in the Middle East, but it’s ringing new bells now.”
Sal concluded:
“A lot of hate is stoked by online communities that profit from keeping us divided. When people meet those they’ve learned to hate and break bread, real learning and peace can happen. Until then, we have to be prepared.”
Guns & Moses releases July 18.