America Tycoon: The Wolf of Showbiz

Chapter 191: Chapter 191 The Purpose of Experiencing Life

At Weinstein Films' Los Angeles branch, Harvey was flipping through a dossier, with Sophia Lee and Vincent Lee's photos on the front page.

Two businessmen from Atlanta had come to Hollywood to invest in film projects, and without a close look, he could guess there must be something fishy going on.

Even with that knowledge, he couldn't act rashly, a big taboo in the industry.

Besides, Weinstein Films had done just as many questionable deals.

An employee across from him said, "These two have recently gotten involved in an investment project called 'Wanted Order', led by Pacific Pictures with Warner Bros. participating, starring Martin Davis and Angelina Jolie."

"Warner Bros. again?" Harvey was annoyed; he dared to blast Warner on television, but couldn't afford an actual war.

You can curse the capitalists, but you can't harm their interests.

However, Harvey spotted a key point: "They're from Atlanta, invested in two of Martin Davis's projects in a row? I remember that Martin Davis also comes from Atlanta?"

The subordinate said, "There was a newspaper article about Martin Davis, someone who came out of the Atlanta slums."

With a wave of his hand, Harvey said, "Alright, you can go."

Just as the employee left, the assistant came in and said, "Matt Damon is here."

The exceedingly straightforward Damon entered the office, greeted him, and sat down on the sofa.

Harvey asked, "What brings you by today?"

"I specifically came to thank you." Matt Damon's real breakthrough 'Good Will Hunting' was a project Harvey championed back at Mila Max, and his deep relationship with both Ben Affleck and Harvey was well-known: "I have a small favor to ask of you."

Harvey inquired, "It's not 'Infernal Affairs' again, is it?"

Damon nodded, "I approached Dyson Films for an investment and had them recommend me. I also reached out to Warner Bros., thinking I only had to wait for the final audition, but then there was an unexpected turn."

He elaborated, "Plan B includes Leonardo, Pacific Pictures, and Warner's Daniel, all backing Martin Davis for the secondary lead role."

Hearing this name that he had just taken note of, Harvey inwardly cursed and said, "He's just an up-and-coming little star, at least three levels below you."

Understanding the dilemma and feeling the pressure, Damon said, "He represents a $20 million dollar investment from Pacific Pictures, which has had many years of cooperation with Warner Bros., Louise Mel is keen on investing, and Warner would never refuse. Dyson Films can only contribute just over $10 million, and even if Warner Bros.

and the investment tie, he still has the support of Plan B and Leonardo."

He saw the situation clearly, "For a Scorsese project, audition room performance is more important than it is for other projects, but factors outside the audition room are equally crucial."

Harvey bluntly offered, "How do you want me to help you?"

"Could you help me dissuade him?" Damon had often had Harvey's help in the past when competing for roles, which was why he and Ben consistently supported Harvey.

Harvey responded, "I'll try."

Damon's smile began to form.

Before it could fully bloom, Harvey took out a business card and handed it to him: "You go take care of this woman."

There's no such thing as a free lunch, and Damon knew it. Taking the business card, he realized what he had to do – he and Ben had often had to clean up after Harvey.

Harvey added a reminder, "Don't let your guard down on your end either."

Damon's candid smile returned, "Scorsese refuses to meet the actors before the auditions, but my agent found his assistant and has conveyed the fact that I'm from Cambridge to Scorsese."

After a few minutes, Damon left the office, went downstairs, and got into his car.

Sitting in the car, he looked at the actress's business card and pulled out his phone to call his buddy, "Ben, there's something I need you to handle."

Half an hour later, Ben Affleck appeared in a hotel, intercepting a female actress coming downstairs.

"You've finally made it this far, carved out a little niche for yourself, you don't want to blow it over something trivial, do you?" A line Ben had used many times and found very effective: "You know who you're dealing with, someone who can decide the future of your career. Think carefully, don't act impulsively. This kind of thing is common in the industry, does anyone care?"

Faced with both a threat and a check, the actress ultimately chose to compromise.

-------------

Boston.

After spending two days walking the streets with patrol officers, Martin and Mene joined the police detective unit's special operations team to experience the daily life of plainclothes detectives.

They made several runs to crime scenes, getting a detailed understanding of the BPD's case processing procedures.

Martin carefully observed the plainclothes detectives' every move; they were ordinary people who might be under a lot of work stress and had seen too much of society's darker side, with most of them constantly spewing profanities like "fuck" or "shit" as easily as breathing.

Some had tendencies toward violence.

Martin chose to blend in, imitating the mannerisms of Chief Jack, a detective in his thirties, and even joking with the other plainclothes detectives in their crass manner when off duty.

He and Mene also specifically learned the use and rules of various police tools.

After that, every evening, Martin spent generously, treating the police personnel with a full suite of entertainment.

In this regard, the whole world can be very much alike.

Martin, being down-to-earth and generous with money, found that the BPD personnel, as long as it didn't violate their principles, were willing to lend a small helping hand when the time came.

In the shooting range, the sound of gunfire was incessant.

Martin and Chief Jack beside him held their guns in exactly the same stance, continuously hitting the fixed human-shaped targets until their magazines were empty.

Removing his earplugs, Jack glanced at his own electronic display, then over at Martin's, and said, "Nice shooting."

At the shooting range, even Martin's worst shot was a nine.

On the other side, Mene immediately chimed in, "My boss is the most talented person in Los Angeles!"

After packing up his gun, Martin invited Jack, "Let's have a drink, my treat."

These past few days, Jack had gotten to know Martin pretty well, and as they walked out together, he said, "Your Boston accent is better than mine, and I'm from Massachusetts."

Laughing, Martin said, "I've been preparing for a BPD role, been practicing for months specially."

"Acting isn't easy," Jack remarked.

"At least it's not dangerous," Martin replied, his words sounding particularly pleasant, "Facing the barrel of a gun at all times, the order that Boston has now, it's because of you guys carrying the weight and moving forward."

Those words struck a chord with Jack, "Carrying the weight and moving forward? That's quite the image."

A few of them got drinks and chatted while resting.

Suddenly, Mene's cell phone pinged with a text message.

He glanced at it and leaned in, lowering his voice, "Ellen sent a message, Scorsese will be at the detective bureau in about an hour."

Martin nodded slightly and said, "Jack, back to the detective bureau?"

"The person you're waiting for is here?" Jack asked.

Martin, who hadn't treated Jack poorly these past days, said, "Do me a favor."

Jack grabbed his jacket and was ready to go, "No problem."

While they were heading out, Martin's phone began ringing, and it was Chief John from the BPD's Public Relations Office on the line.

The other's words were quite brief, "I'll be at the detective bureau at three."

Martin thanked him and followed Jack out of the shooting club.

Back at the detective bureau, Jack's Special Operations team had brought in a bunch of street vendors, with most people being very busy.

Martin was already familiar with everyone there, and he and Mene quickly joined in the work.

Although they couldn't do any official work, they were able to run errands, fetch folders, and assist with forwarding calls.

Thanks to his careful observation and learning earlier, Martin handled everything very smoothly and, with his acting prowess, he seemed like a true member of the operations team.

Meanwhile, Chief John accompanied Martin Scorsese, William Monahan, Ellen, and others into the detective bureau.

With a superstar director visiting, the chief himself provided hospitality.

The two sides chatted in the reception room for a while, and Scorsese expressed interest in seeing how plainclothes detectives handle cases; the detective bureau of course agreed.

The chief's office was busy, so after showing his face, he soon left.

Acting as the official host, John led the group to the Special Operations section.

The operations team was busy, and team leader Jack came over to say hello, introducing visitors to the team's work through the large glass window.

When Ellen spotted a dark face, her eyes instantly lit up. She pulled out her phone, entered the hotel room number, and sent it, then typed another message, "I'll wait for you tonight."

Her phone screen flashed briefly, and she saw the crisp reply, "OK!"

Thinking of Mene's mesmerizing mouth and tongue, Ellen quickly found where Martin was and asked John, "Chief, is that Martin Davis? Or do you have a detective that just looks a lot like Martin Davis?"

Scorsese, who had been chatting with Jack, immediately took notice. He scanned the open-plan office and caught sight of a vaguely familiar face.

John smiled and said, "Last month, Mr. Davis applied to experience life at the BPD, saying he needed to prepare for a role. He first studied police procedures at the police academy, then ran with patrol officers for a few days, and now he's come here to join Chief Jack's Special Operations team."

With her chin in her hand, Ellen remarked, "This guy's interesting. If he hadn't looked familiar, I wouldn't have noticed him."

Through the glass window, Scorsese observed carefully, and aside from being a bit more handsome, that Martin Davis's behavior was indistinguishable from the other detectives.

Martin Davis remained inside, answering the phone, delivering documents, just like a real member of the operations team, blending in seamlessly.

Scorsese, without speaking abruptly, gave Ellen a meaningful look.

Ellen asked, "Chief, how long has Martin Davis been here?"

"This is his sixth day," Jack replied simply. "He's easy to get along with and has fitted in really well."

Everyone believed him because Martin Davis looked every bit the part of the operations team member, not just an actor experiencing life.

From a professional standpoint, Ellen commented, "It seems he's really immersed in the role of this experience."

Curious, Jack asked, "What did you say?"

Ellen smiled and continued to inquire, "How is he doing?"

"Learns incredibly fast, is very dedicated, and can speak fluent Boston English," Jack said plainly. "He's been out in the field with us, studied various regulations, learned about many unclassified anti-gang and drug enforcement cases, and is proficient in the use of various police weapons and procedures."

He shrugged, "You might not believe it, but his gun stance is better than mine, and he shoots better too."

Scorsese stepped forward, "Let's visit other places." Waiting for Ellen to catch up, he lowered his voice, "Find a way to get in touch with him, I want to talk to him tonight."