Director Nicolas Winding Refn makes films famous for moody visuals and existential anti-heroes, most notable Drive. Matthew McConaughey is currently famous for using his Texas drawl–drained of energy–to make moody, philosophical statements on the universe. Put them together and the natural fit, therefore, is … a car commercial. With a big bull.
The director and actor have teamed up to make a series of commercials for Lincoln. The ads have a strong True Detective feel, what with giant vistas, empty highways, and a slightly rumpled McConaughey staring through the windshield and contemplating his existence, and how it might end very soon. Mostly because of a bull standing in front of the car. “That’s a big bull,” says McConaughey, stating the obvious, before wisely deciding to do a U-turn and drive away. Is the point of the commercial that the Lincoln MKC has a really small turn radius? Or is the idea that if you’re going to find yourself face to face with an 1,800 pound bull, this is the car to do it in. The commercial doesn’t answer that, or explain why the animal is called Cyrus (note to farmers: you need to name your cattle after Persian kings). These commercials can only get better–and weirder–if they get Woody Harrelson to also be in the next one.
