Jude Law hasn't had the best of luck on boats in the past. But he puts that behind him for this stylish short film for Johnnie Walker Blue, directed by Jake Scott.
It begins with Law and co-star Giancarlo Giannini kicking back luxuriously on a fabulous handcrafted boat in rich waters somewhere in the world. (The ocean scenes were filmed in the British Virgin Islands.) Law wants the boat for himself, but Giannini says it's not for sale. The only way Law can get it is through a friendly gentlemen's wager. And it turns out Law wants to dance for it—which he does, in between sips of Johnnie Walker Blue.
Later we discover the real nature of the betting between the two, and the reveal is firmly in line with traditional luxury marketing—they're just two regular old consumers of ultra-expensive goods relentlessly seeking something money can't buy.
"The film is about improvement and progress, and this is something I try to do in my work and my everyday life," says Law. "I had to learn new skills shooting this film that combined with the places we visited and shot in, alongside working with Jake and with Giancarlo, made it a truly rare experience."
For my money, though, if you're going to go over five minutes with a Johnnie Walker spot, it needs to have Robert Carlyle and be shot in a single take.
"The Gentlemen's Wager" was made by Anomaly in New York and is being distributed by Unruly Media.
CREDITS
Client: Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Spot: "The Gentlemen's Wager"
Agency: Anomaly, New York
President: Karina Wilsher
Writers: Mike Byrne, Dave Douglass
Art Director: Mark Sarosi
Account Director: Lauren Bozarth
Executive Producer: Winslow Dennis
Director: Jake Scott
Production Company: RSA Films
Video Distribution: Unruly Media