Mamet casts Law and Cruz for new flick
January 30th, 2002
Jude Law is negotiating to star in DIARY OF A YOUNG LONDON PHYSICIAN, writer-director David Mamet's take on the classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde story. Law, who'll play the doc and his alter ego in the period drama, is near a deal that will pay him an advance of about $7 million against a share of gross revenues. Penelope Cruz is also in early talks to play the female lead.
Ive had Mamets adaptation for years, but never bothered to review it on the site because it wasnt very good and I didnt feel like bashing a Mamet script again. Just call me a softy.
Back then, Mamet was writing for Al Pacino and that hack Harold Becker.
Clearly, Mamet, whos been rewriting the script for five years, has gone in a different direction. And that hes chosen to direct it himself suggests he has faith in the material. For, as brilliant as Mamet is, when hes writing for others hes never as sharp as when crafting his own work.
Law is a terrific choice for the role, I must say. But ultimately, what I found with Mamets take on the material is that he never fully thought out what drove Jekyll to do what he did. Mamet, like every other person adapting the book, didnt actually read the book -- or ignored it. This, like all the others, was based on the movie versions. So that Hyde isnt this disturbing, ghastly beast, but a better-looking, dashing version of Jekyll.
Mamets material is precise, and if hes not making it its not at its best. And since he hasnt let us down as a director thus far, I can only imagine this will be no different.
-- Darwin Mayflower (darwinmayflower@yahoo.com)
Ive had Mamets adaptation for years, but never bothered to review it on the site because it wasnt very good and I didnt feel like bashing a Mamet script again. Just call me a softy.
Back then, Mamet was writing for Al Pacino and that hack Harold Becker.
Clearly, Mamet, whos been rewriting the script for five years, has gone in a different direction. And that hes chosen to direct it himself suggests he has faith in the material. For, as brilliant as Mamet is, when hes writing for others hes never as sharp as when crafting his own work.
Law is a terrific choice for the role, I must say. But ultimately, what I found with Mamets take on the material is that he never fully thought out what drove Jekyll to do what he did. Mamet, like every other person adapting the book, didnt actually read the book -- or ignored it. This, like all the others, was based on the movie versions. So that Hyde isnt this disturbing, ghastly beast, but a better-looking, dashing version of Jekyll.
Mamets material is precise, and if hes not making it its not at its best. And since he hasnt let us down as a director thus far, I can only imagine this will be no different.
-- Darwin Mayflower (darwinmayflower@yahoo.com)
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