Variety reports that Dustin Hoffman will star in upcoming indie drama Barney’s Version, which is based on Mordecai Richler’s final novel.
Hoffman will play a retired cop and father of the film’s main character who has led a reckless life highlighted by three marriages, two children and status as a “person of interest” in the mysterious disappearance of his friend.
Written by Michael Konyves, the film will be helmed by Richard J. Lewis who will start shooting this August in Rome.
I was looking for this trailer last week and only found the movie poster. Well, here is the Last Chance Harvey trailer with two very talented, Oscar-winning actors. The movie is a gem.
Last Chance Harvey - Academy Award winners Dustin Hoffman (Rain Man) and Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility) reunite in Last Chance Harvey, a hopeful romance that celebrates new beginnings — at any age. New Yorker Harvey Shine (Dustin Hoffman) is on the verge of losing his dead-end job as a jingle writer. Warned by his boss (Richard Schiff) that he has just one more chance to deliver, Harvey goes to London for a weekend to attend his daughter’s (Liane Balaban) wedding but promises to be back on Monday morning to make an important meeting — or else. Harvey arrives in London only to learn his daughter has chosen to have her stepfather (James Brolin) walk her down the aisle instead of him. Doing his best to hide his devastation, he leaves the wedding before the reception in hopes of getting to the airport on time, but misses his plane anyway. When he calls his boss to explain, he is fired on the spot. Drowning his sorrows at the airport bar, Harvey strikes up a conversation with Kate (Emma Thompson), a slightly prickly, 40-something employee of the Office of National Statistics. Kate, whose life is limited to work, the occasional humiliating blind date and endless phone calls from her smothering mother (Eileen Atkins), is touched by Harvey, who finds himself energized by her intelligence and compassion. The growing connection between the pair inspires both as they unexpectedly transform one another’s lives.
The rumours have been abound on the internet for the past few week. In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, actor Russell Crowe let slip that he has plans to play legendary comedian Bill Hicks in a forthcoming movie. And while the film is only at scripting stage, the internet is alight with protests.
Bill Hicks made his name in the late 80’s an early 90’s. While Hicks was undoubtedly political, his humour often ranged from the lofty to the downright base (anyone who knows his Goatboy routine will agree). He died in 1994 of cancer, but left a legacy of polemic comedy to many inspired individuals.
While many people are outraged at the prospect of Crowe playing Hicks, I for one welcome it. If there is one word to characterise Hicks, it was anger. Anger was the fuel of his routines. And we all know of Russell Crowe’s infamous temper. Also, while many write Crowe off as being limited in his range, often resorting to the superior, the tough guy with a sharp wit, one should bear in mind that Crowe pulled off a perfect performance in The Insider, as an aging scientist whose life is destroyed when he becomes a whistleblower. Indeed, we have seen comedian biopics work previously, with Dustin Hoffman being highly convincing in Lenny, the story of controversial stand-up Lenny Bruce. With the right script and some restraint in Crowe, a film of Hick could end up the perfect tribute.
I find it very interesting that stage productions of movies show popularity, such as All About My Mother, Brief Encounter, Terms of Endearment and the Disney films. Now, Rain Man is debuting at London’s West End with performances later this summer. Josh Hartnett is set to play Tom Cruise’s character, a narcissistic car dealer. Adam Godley is set to play the older autistic brother.
The story told in the original Rain Man, which won four Oscars in 1989 including best picture and actor for Hoffman, centers on a road trip taken by Cruise’s character with his older autistic brother whom he knew nothing about until his father’s death.
The stage version, which runs Aug. 28-Dec. 20 at the Apollo Theater, with a press opening set for Sept. 9, will be updated.
While watching previews before the feature showing of WALL-E last night, I was caught by surprise with a preview about a French mouse. Not Ratatouille sequel but The Tale of Despereaux, which is based on the award winning book with the same title.
A modern fairy tale, The Tale of Despereaux tells the story of four unlikely heroes: Despereaux (Matthew Broderick), a brave mouse banished to the dungeon for speaking with a human; Roscuro (Dustin Hoffman), a good-hearted rat who loves light and soup, but is exiled to darkness; Pea (Emma Watson), a Princess in a gloomy castle who is prisoner to her father’s grief; and Mig (Tracey Ullman), a servant girl who longs to be a Princess, but is forced to serve the jailer.
Despereaux was born tiny but with huge ears. Refusing to live his life cowering, he befriends Princess Pea and learns to read (rather than eat) books—of stories about knights, dragons and fair maidens.
Pea is kidnapped and Despereaux decides he is the only one who can rescue her…and that even the tiniest mouse can find the courage of a knight in shining armor.
The Tale of Despereaux is scheduled to hit theaters on December 19th 2008.