Stan the Man: Actor/Producer Angus Benfield Hopes His Film is Used as a Healing Tool
Angus Benfield is an award-winning Australian filmmaker who got his start starring in the cult-classic film Lex and Rory. A man of many talents, Benfield built his career on independent projects, serving as actor, producer, director, and writer. He recently sat down with The Collision to chat about his newest film, Stan the Man, which he produced and acted in.
Stan the Man follows legendary professional football coach Stan Jacobs, whose struggle with alcoholism leads him to lose everything: his job, his home, his family. Reluctantly, he becomes the coach of a small Christian high school football team. He leads them to victory and finds his own redemption along the way.
Benfield said he wanted to make an inspirational faith-based film to remind people that if they are struggling, there is a way through it, especially if they know Christ. “It might give them hope to keep going,” he said.
His desire to bring this story to the screen and to play the character of Stan as authentically as possible grew from his relationship with his late father, who also struggled with alcoholism. “I grew up, unfortunately, watching alcoholism do the same thing to [my father] as it did to Stan the Man . . . He lost everything and then it eventually took his life . . . [Alcoholism] is kind of like a slow suicide without even realizing it . . . It can take you further and further away from who you are.”
Before the crew started filming, they had to be sure their vision was achievable. One of the producers had access to a semi-professional team and a field. When producing a film, small details like those can make or break a project. Yet the team still faced plenty of complications. Benfield joked, “I don’t know how people make it who don’t believe in God… Maybe if they start as atheists, it will make them believe in God, because you really need some divine intervention.”
As an Australian, one of Benfield’s biggest hurdles was his lack of knowledge about American football. Thankfully, director Kendall Bryant Jr. understood the game and how to shoot it effectively. Benfield’s lack of experience with the sport led to some comedic moments. Growing up, Benfield played and watched rugby. He believed his teammates were tougher than American football players because they didn’t wear helmets. His mind changed when he met the semi-professional players who worked on the film. He laughed, “They were these giants. And I [thought], ‘Oh my gosh, no wonder you wear helmets. I’d be dead!’” Having to yell at his players in the scene was incredibly exhausting because “they’re 100 feet tall!”
The film’s central theme is all about second chances. Benfield lamented cancel culture, especially in Christian society. He said, “In this day and age, it’s really important to give people second chances, to give people the benefit of the doubt.” He said it’s easy and convenient but not necessarily right to “remove certain people who don’t fit into a category,” which includes the church wanting to maintain its pristine image instead of acknowledging and dealing with its intrinsic brokenness and the sins of its people. “I’m a big believer in grace and second chances . . . Don’t look at the splinter in the other person’s eye. You got a plank in your own.” This mentality was reflected on set. He noted that grace is required when making a film, and everyone needs to come into it understanding that people, including themselves, will mess up. “Maybe we shouldn’t be picking up those stones. Maybe we should just drop them and give people a second chance.”
Ultimately, Benfield made this film to help people get through tough seasons of life. It’s entertainment, but also a tool. Benfield excitedly remarked how great it is to see all the positive comments about how the film has already healed people. He closed by offering an exhortation to “put quitting talk off until tomorrow . . . give it another shot and try and make it work.” It’s okay to struggle . . . you just have to try to get back up.
Watch Stan the Man on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and YouTube today.
