The trailer for the upcoming Justin Timberlake-starring drama Palmer was released by AppleTV+ on Thursday.
The film caused controversy during its shoot last year, when Timberlake, 39, was pictured holding hands with his 31-year-old costar Alisha Wainwright, at a New Orleans bar during a break in filming.
The singer later issued an apology to his wife Jessica Biel through his Instagram account, and expressed regret for the publicity that had been brought to what he described as a ‘strong lapse in judgment.’
Coming soon: On Thursday, a trailer for the upcoming Justin Timberlake-starring film Palmer was released; the actor garnered controversy for being spotted getting close with his costar Alisha Wainwright during filming last year
The trailer begins with Timberlake, who is cast as the titular character, arriving at the house of his mother, played by June Squibb, after a stint in prison; in a voiceover, Squibb can be heard saying, ‘I’m glad you’re back.’
After being encouraged to re-enter the normal world, Timberlake is seen taking on a job as a janitor in an elementary school, where it is revealed that he was previously a star football player.
Squibb can then be heard announcing that a boy named Sam, played by Ryder Allen, will be staying at her house with Timberlake, who takes notice of Allen’s character’s liking for dolls and dressing up.
After he has a hearing with a police officer, Timberlake is seen being asked by a character played by Wainwright about what landed him in jail, to which he responds: ‘Don’t matter. I did what I did.’
Redemption story: The film will follow the narrative of a recently released convict who becomes a father figure to a young boy
Solid direction: The film is helmed by director and actor Fisher Stevens, who is best known for his role as Ben Jabituya in the 1986 film Short Circuit
Big names: The film also stars June Squibb, Juno Temple, and Alisha Wainwright in supporting roles; Wainwright is seen above
After Timberlake and Allen have a conversation about how kids his age will be mean to him for his differences in personality, a customer in a shop tells the former that his criminal past renders him ineffective as a caregiver for a child.
The two are then seen having a discussion regarding the viewing of a cartoon meant for young girls, and when asked what the absence of boys on the show means, Allen responds with: ‘I can be the first.’
Timberlake is shown taking Allen, dressed in a pink butterfly outfit, out for trick-or-treating at Wainwright’s house, and he remarks in a voiceover that, ‘I haven’t felt like I was good at anything until Sam.’
When Sam’s mother, played by Juno Temple, returns, Timberlake takes notice of a violent situation erupting in the family’s trailer, and physically intervenes, which leads to his arrest, and Allen runs after the squad car that he is taken away in.
Tight script: The screenplay for Palmer was written by Cheryl Guerriero, who was known for her work on the 2006 comedy National Lampoon’s Pledge This!
Far and wide: Palmer’s distribution rights were purchased by AppleTV+ earlier this summer
Hitting the small screen: The film will be released on the streaming service on January 26, 2021
A montage of moments shared between the new father figure and his surrogate son are shown, including times from a birthday party and a trip to a bowling alley, during which Timberlake states in voiceover that: ‘I can’t abandon that boy.’
At a court hearing, he reiterates that statement, and after a shared meal is shown, the former convict and Allen walk to school together, with the trailer finishing on a tea party.
Palmer marks the singer-songwriter’s return to acting after a three-year absence from live-action films, with his last appearance being in 2017’s Wonder Wheel.
He made his first appearance in the 2000 comedy film Longshot, which also starred the other members of his band NSYNC, and later gained prominence for his role as Napster founder Sean Parker in the 2010 film The Social Network.
The upcoming feature is set to be released on AppleTV+ on January 26, 2021.
Gaining notoriety: In 2019, costars Timberlake and Wainwright were pictured holding hands while relaxing at a New Orleans bar during a break in shooting
Going public: Timberlake issued an apology to his wife and family through his Instagram account not long after photos of him with Wainwright were released
Looking good: The former NSYNC band member is seen with his wife Jessica Biel at the 70th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards in 2018