Variety
A comedy about refuting expectations that never deviates from formula, “Friends and Romans” squanders charismatic star Michael Rispoli in a leaden mess that elicits nothing but eye-rolling groans. Populated by Italian-American actors most notable for filling out the ranks of various gangster films and TV shows, director Christopher Kublan’s dramedy finds a pigeonholed thespian trying to break free from his dead-end career as an extra in organized-crime fictions by staging a one-night-only theatrical Shakespeare production. While its portrait of people striving to be more than they are — or presumed to be — affords some genial uplift, this indie’s theatrical prospects will probably be limited to the tiny niche of moviegoers who can’t get enough “Godfather”-related gags.
Deadline: Lakeshore Entertainment’s American Pastoral has beefed up its cast, adding David Strathairn, Uzo Aduba, Peter Riegert and Valorie Curry, who join Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly, and Dakota Fanning in the Vietnam War drama, Based on the Pulitzer-winning novel by Phillip Roth, the film follows a family torn apart when a legendary former high school athlete’s seemingly perfect life is shattered after his rebellious daughter’s antiwar activism turns to violent political terrorism. Strathairn will play Nathan Zuckerman, Aduba will play Vicky, Reigert will play Lou Levov and Curry will play Rita Cohen. McGregor is directing from a script by by John Romano (Lincoln Lawyer), replacing previously signed director Phillip Noyce. Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi are producind and filming is set to start this month in Pittsburgh.
