Raimi Follows Eastwood, Scorsese and Affleck to Boston
I haven’t seen a movie based on a Dennis Lehane novel yet that I really liked, but they just keep coming. Clint Eastwood directed Mystic River, Ben Affleck did Gone Baby Gone, Martin Scorsese is working on Shutter Island and now Sam Raimi joins the fray with The Given Day, to be published September 23.
Lehane sticks to his usual Boston territory for Day, but goes back to 1919 as soldiers are returning from WWI and bringing the Spanish Flu home with them. Against this backdrop, the police are attempting to unionize and verge on a historic strike.
Though I’ve never read one of Lehane’s books, I’ve been told that many of the problems with the movie versions are rooted in the novels. On the other hand, it’s nice to see Raimi stepping away from horror and superheroes for a while at least. I’m about ready for another A Simple Plan.
Source: Variety
Filed under: Upcoming
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The funny thing is I think the best stuff Lehane ever wrote was his stuff for The Wire. I’ve read several of his novels and while there’s always something that initially hooks you, I’ve always been letdown to one extent or another. Shutter Island was to me by far the worst and Gone Baby Gone probably the least bad in this regard for me.
This novel sounds interesting, though. There I go again: they almost all sound interesting. The fact that Raimi has signed on to adapt it, and it hasn’t even come out yet, is a bit startling. I agree that it would be great to see another A Simple Plan from him right about now.
Eh, Lehane wrote for The Wire, so he pretty much has a free pass for life from me. Anyway, I’ve also liked both films of his novels far; both were very good but not great.
“I’m about ready for another A Simple Plan.” That’s the understatement of the week for one of the most underrates movies of the 90’s.
I fully appreciate what Craig is saying here, even if I do profess a strong estimation of MYSTIC RIVER.
Don’t take my skepticism too seriously. This one is officially on LiC radar. I’m just saying…
Always weird to have the movie going into pre-production before the novel is even in book stores, but whatever. Glad to see Raimi is returning to something a little more grounded. I never saw For the Love of the Game, but Simple Plan was a very good movie and I’ve always had a fondness for The Gift, warts and all.
I finally finished reading “Shutter Island” the other day, and it was not really amazing.
I find most of the Lehane adaptations alright, I did enjoy Gone Baby Gone and admired Mystic River, so I am along for the ride on the wave of further adaptations.
I read Lehane’s Darkness, Take My Hand and it does indeed have many of the issues that the Lehane movies have had; namely an ending that depends on some left field no way in hell hocus pocus coincidental realization that twists you right out of the story.
I haven’t read Lehane but I found plenty of merit in both Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone as films. The former in particular explored interesting ideas that seemed likely derived from the source material. Where both films disappointed was in their resolutions. Mystic seemed to lack ethical clarity and Gone just degenerated into absurd plot convolutions and contrivances. In both cases the journey was more interesting than the ultimate destination and they’ve suffered a little in my regard as a consequence. I understand that dissatisfaction with the Shutter Island novel’s ending is a common complaint too.
I eagerly purchased a Pelecanos novel because of his attachment to The Wire. It was very disappointing. I found it devoid of notable subtext, stylistically bland, and filled with naïve psychological characterizations and explanations for crime. It helped underscore what others, notably the key creator, fellow writers, the directors and actors brought to that wonderful series. To be fair, I might have stumbled upon one of his lesser works of fiction and a good friend with similar taste has strongly recommended I read another of his novels.
I still hold Mystic River in fairly high esteem, though I haven’t seen it in a few years. Gone Baby Gone was a disappointment, even with low expectations and giving Affleck enough rope.
I read Shutter Island last summer and it’s probably a fair assessment that the weaknesses of the Lehane adaptations can be attributed to the source material. Unless Steven Knight and Scorsese rewrite or downplay that ridiculously clichéd ending, the film will be a tremendous flop (critically at least; lame endings still haven’t sunk Shyamalan commercially).
Why can’t Scorsese just skip to Silence? That’s such a tantalizing project that keeps getting pushed back.
Yes, I think it’s mainly the endings that bug me, especially for GBG. Endings are a bitch and screwing one up can ruin everything that came before.
That Shutter Island may have the same problem doesn’t bode well. Not that I’m going to skip a Scorsese movie, but here’s hoping someone made some changes along the way.
Word to what Chuck and W.J. have to say about Lehane in general and in W.J.’s case, Shutter Island. I’m deeply apprehensive of Shutter Island the movie because, as much as I hope it’s great, the novel’s ending was so rotten it actually made me despise that book in a way I rarely ever do.
I too keep wishing Scorsese would get Silence up and running. Portuguese missionaries in nineteenth-century Japan, baby, I can smell the opening weekend box office. (Seriously, that’s the upcoming film of his I have continually wished he’d get to.)
sartre-I went through a Pelecanos phase, and though what you’re saying is true, I enjoyed him on a compulsive read kinda level. What did you read of his if I may be so bold?
This is the crossroads for Raimi.
He’s accomplished all he can in genre cinema and this is a venture into a different class of filmmaking.
Ambition is a beautiful thing.
Ambition rules and it’s great to see a guy who has technically proven himself pushing the boundaries of what people expect from him.
I mentioned this novel a few days ago at Awards Daily, in speculation about a project that might bring Southie boys Damon, Wahlberg and the brothers Affleck together in the same movie.
[excerpt from Ryan Adams' 'Serenade to Myself," performed on his own horn.]
Have to prop myself up somehow since I’m responsible for recommending Pelecanos to Sartre (and now feel like shit because this is the first I’ve heard that he was disappointed.)
Nick, I thought the weakest part of Shutter Island was the high-melodrama of that stormy windswept climax. (”Ashecliffe”? More like Heathcliff.) Felt like Snoopy wrote the ending.
The screenplay I’ve seen improves the last half hour. It’s less abrupt with lots of new psychological layers, and it’s much more Hitchcockian all the way through. The version I read is just the 2007 “writer’s draft” — before Steven Knight added his own dash of flair. I see this as another great genre exercise for Scorsese, along the lines of Cape Fear.
Ryan you’re the good friend I was referring to. And despite my disappointment in The Night Gardener (to answer your question Chuck) I’m going to still read Drama City on your recommendation because our taste generally gels so well.
Perhaps my inability to appreciate the novel stemmed from jumping into it right after reading Michael Chabon’s Yiddish Policemen’s Union. Genre writing can feel very elemental after reading something more literary.
ah, I should’ve studied your comment more carefully, Sartre. I thought you were trying to be discrete and not punch me out in public, and I was wincing as I read it.
I know what you mean about the how the collaborative effort can add unexpected depth and texture. Body of Lies is such a formulaic pot-boiler, I got more and more depressed as I slogged through it. Then the last 50 pages rocked with it’s cock out.
Haven’t finished the script yet, but can already see what changes have been made and every alteration results in a vastly more polished story. (Just changing the female lead from cookie-cutter “Alice” to exotic “Aisha” — played by Golshifteh Farahani — bonus points for authentic flava.)
Though Monahan+Scott might not have as successful history as Monahan-Scorsese, it does look like he’s done another brilliant job taking pulp and turning it into rich vellum.
(oh, and when I mentioned to Nick the restructured ending of Shutter Island, meant to include you too, Alexander. hmm, funny how these novels are on all our reading lists. We should get jobs in Development.)
“taking pulp and turning it into rich vellum.”
Now that’s writing I can appreciate.
I’m glad to hear Shutter Island’s screenplay is an improvement on the novel in that regard, Ryan. One of the best things about Shutter Island, and one of the reasons I’m really looking forward to it despite what the ending may bring, is that it’s just about as well-cast as could be. DiCaprio, maybe not so much, but certainly Ruffalo, Kingsley and von Sydow.