Well this looks like it might be fun. David O’Russell’s film has an incredible cast including Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, Julia Stiles and Chris Tucker (making his first non Rush Hour film appearance since Jackie Brown in 1997). Here’s the synopsis: ‘Life doesn’t always go according to plan. Pat Solatano (Cooper) has lost everything – his house, his job, and his wife. He now finds himself living back with his mother and father after spending eight months in a state institution on a plea bargain. Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and reunite with his wife, despite the challenging circumstances of their separation. All Pat’s parents want is for him to get back on his feet – and to share their family’s obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When Pat meets Tiffany (Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated. Tiffany offers to help Pat reconnect with his wife, but only if he’ll do something very important for her in return. As their deal plays out, an unexpected bond begins to form between them, and silver linings appear in both of their lives.’
Christian Bale & Bradley Cooper In Talks For American Bullsh*t
With David O’Russell putting the finishing touches on The Silver Linings Playbook, there’s been a lot of interest in what he’ll move onto next. He’s got quite a few movies in the works, but now it appear American Bullshit has moved towards the front of the pack, with Deadline reporting Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper are now attached to star and Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures is putting together a deal to finance the movie.
Eric Singer’s based on a true story script, which has been around for a while and at one point was going to be helmed by Ben Affleck, centres on a con artist who goes to work for the FBI to bust open a wide-ranging conspiracy case, which reaches from Washington D.C. to Atlantic City. The sting ended up taking down several dodgy US congressmen.
The $30-$40 million movie will hopefully shoot in January, although with O’Russell having deals on several other pictures too, it’s likely something’s going to have to move around if they’re going to keep to that schedule.
David O’Russell Up For Buddy Cianci Biopic
In the UK, if you’ve heard of Buddy Cianci at all, it’s because the school Family Guy’s Chris Griffin used to attend is named after him, but in the US, he’s famed for being one of the most colourful politicians around. Now the LA Times reports that David O’Russell has signed on to direct a biopic of the former Providence, Rhode Island mayor.
Just from the title of his memoir, you can get an idea of why Cianci might be worth making a film about, as it’s called, ‘Politics And Pasta: How I Prosecuted Mobsters, Rebuilt A Dying City, Advised A President, Dined With Sinatra, Spent Five Years In A Federally Funded Gated Community And Lived To Tell The Tale’. Cianci was mayor twice, but was forced to resign both times due to charges that led to felony convictions, once for assault and the second time for racketeering conspiracy (running a corrupt criminal enterprise due to the dodgy practices that were tolerated during his mayorship), for which he spent four years in prison.
It’s a slightly Boardwalk Empire type story, with Cianci always thought to be a bit of a wiseguy, corrupt character, but still much loved by the electorate.
Robert De Niro and his producing partner Jane Rosenthal are developing the film via their Tribeca company, with Russell attached to direct and help work on the script. It’ll now go onto O’Russell’s pile, which also includes a Russ Meyer biopic, the comedy drama Old St Louis, and the congressional sting drama American Bullshit.
David O’Russell Attached To American Bullsh*t
It sometimes feels pointless reporting on the movies David O’Russell says he’s going to direct, as he comes and goes from an almost ridiculous amount of films. However Variety reports that he’s just attached himself to American Bullshit for Sony Pictures and Atlas Entertainment.
Eric Singer (The International) wrote the screenplay, which centres on a con artist who goes to work for the FBI to bust open a wide-ranging conspiracy case, which reaches from Washington D.C. to Atlantic City.
It isn’t known when production may begin on American Bullshit, which will almost certainly get a name change at some point, as it’s tough to imagine a studio release the film with the title intact. David O. Russell is currently in post-production on his latest project, The Silver Linings Playbook, which is set for release this autumn. It’s not know what movie he’ll make after that, but American Bullshit is now in the mix.
Director David O’Russell Accused Of Groping Transgender Relative
David O’Russell is known for being difficult to work with (his argument with Lily Tomlin on the set of I Heart Huckabees is legendary), but now the director of The Fighter and Three Kings is having issues of a different kind after being accused of groping a transgender relative.
According to a police report that The Smoking Gun got hold of, last week O’Russell was at a Florida hotel gym with his adopted sister’s child, Nicole Peloquin, who was born a male and has taken female hormones to grow breasts but has not undergone male-to-female surgery (and is referred to as male in the police report).
After O’Russell offered “to help…with ab exercises,” Peloquin told the police the director’s hand was above her “private parts”. After this, O’Russell allegedly asked Peloquin about the transgender transformation. Peloquin replied by telling Russell about “the hormones to increase his breasts.” At that point,O’Russell is alleged to have put his hands under Peloquin’s top “and felt both breasts.” While Peloquin said he felt uncomfortable, “he did not ask Russell to stop at any time.”
Peloquin said he left the gym a few minutes later, and subsequently told his mother that her brother “came onto her in the gym.”
Police later spoke to O’Russell, who denied he had done anything that amounted to battery (which is what he was accused of), saying that Peloquin was “acting very provocative towards him.”
O’Russell said that he spoke with Peloquin about the “transgender transformation and the breast enhancements he had done.” Curious about this, he says Peloquin allowed him “to feel both of his breasts,” adding that his relative “asked him to ‘pinky swear’ about her letting him touch his breasts.”
O’Russell seem to think it’s his relative just causing trouble, saying that “he had asked Peloquin several times if he was uncomfortable and he did not ask him to not touch him.” He also told the deputy that Peloquin is “always causing drama since the transgender transformation and has become very provocative and seductive.”
There wasn’t enough evidence for the police to make an arrest, but Peloquin can pursue the matter further with the state attorney.
Even if we believe O’Russell’s side of the story, what the hell is he doing touching his niece’s breats in the first place, whether he’s got permission or not?
First Pics From Silver Linings Playbook
After spending months flitting from project to project, director David O’Russell finally went into production on a new project recently, The Silver Linings Playbook, with a great cast including Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver Jennifer Lawrence, Julia Stiles and Chris Tucker.
Now the first images have popped up online, via Collider, who got hold of them at the AFM, along with a synopsis. Take a look at the pics above and below. Here’s the synopsis:
Adapted from the best-selling novel by Matthew Quick, THE SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK is a touching, one-of-a-kind comedy about love and second chances.
Pat Peoples (Bradley Cooper) is a man always trying to look on the bright side of life – the title of the story takes it’s name from the expression that “every cloud has a silver lining.” Released from the hospital after losing his wife to another man, Pat believes this age-old adage is just the ticket to trying to win her back and get his life on track. Trying to remain resolutely undiscouraged, Pat moves back in with his parents and devotes himself entirely to becoming the man his wife always wanted him to be. But it’s an uphill battle. Until Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a beautiful young woman whose life also has not turned out the way she wanted. Together, the couple will try and navigate through their lives and stay true to who they are, always just one adventure away from a unique friendship, and possibly even love.
General movie news courtesy of Movie Muser