Hey, everyone. ”Moriarty” here. I like Chabon, but I don't think he writes books that are particularly well-suited to screenplay adaptation. I don't think he thinks in terms of movies. He's a novelist... and that's as it should be. He doesn't write his books thinking about the eventual Hollywood sale... or at least, that's not how his books feel to me. Anyway... did this attempt to bring this early book of his to life work? Here's our first answer from Sundance:
Well, if you're looking for reviews... Caught the Rawson Marshall Thurber (Dodgeball) directed, Mysteries of Pittsburgh tonight. Hm. Bland. Unfortunately bland. The cast is great - except for the lead (kind of a problem). It was introduced as a "coming of age" story and it deals with a young man's last summer before he commits to a boring/legit job that his "gangster" father has set up for him. It's based on a novel by pulitzer prize winning Michael Chabon and here's the thing: there was nothing in this movie that wasn't familiar. Here's the young naive kid who's drawn to danger in the form of a couple - sexy Sienna Miller and Peter Sarsgaard: her beauty, his recklessness/freedom. Pretty sure he's gonna learn a lesson. Pretty sure there's gonna be some violence, sex, love and loss before that lesson's learned. But it's all been done before - and better (Something Wild, for instance. Almost Famous. Or that other movie where the young guy is drawn to the bad-boy-self-destructive-mentor...). Bottom line - though competently directed, the story was unengaging. Keep the faith in Thurber and most of the actors, but check this flick out only if you're hardcore for any of 'em. If you use this call me - The Seeds.
