Armchair Filmmaker - 'Nuts/Off,' The Movie
Just for the sheer fun of it, Xan Brooks over at The UK Guardian asks, who would you cast in the Jackson-Obama story?The story: The film will be called Nuts/Off, an obvious riff on Face/Off, the John Travolta/Nicholas Cage film for years back. Here's Xan's take: It's the tale of Jackson, an ageing, charismatic African-American politician who wakes one morning to discover his thunder stolen by a stylish new kid on the block. Obama is Jackson minus the baggage, minus the rage and minus the moustache. Jackson wants to support Obama and he wants to cut his nuts off. He's conflicted - and therein lies the drama.
Sounds like a classic already :o)
They need a director and a genre. Some of Xan's suggestions: a drama, but who knows? It could be a musical, a knockabout buddy comedy, or an ultra-violent cartoon in the Itchy and Scratchy mode.
I'd just stick to drama.
Finally, a cast. His inspired choices? Carl Weathers bears a passing resemblance to Jackson, and Lord knows he could use the work. But Obama is more tricky (and is presumably a conundrum that real-life casting directors are already grappling with). Lance Reddick - so good as the upright, cadaverous Lt Daniels in The Wire. But I'm wondering if he might be a mite too forbidding for the role.
Man, I didn't even know Carl Weathers was still alive. But I can see him as Jackson actually, although haven't seen any recent pictures of him, so I don't know how well he's aged. Maybe Tarantino can direct - reviving Weathers' career the way Pulp Fiction brought Travolta back to centerstage. However, this has Spike Lee joint written all over it!
Read more and join the fun with your selections here: NUTS/OFF THE MOVIE
The best comment/suggestion from the original blog:
"I'd have it directed by Clint Eastwood, not simply becuase of the experience he could bring from his time in US politics(!), but mainly to see the look on Spike Lee's face..."
:D