Working for the Law again?

Jake's had lots of roles that involve the law.  But could he be stepping into Jude Law's recently abandoned role?

Let's just say it's been a very bad week for Jake's friend Natalie Portman.  And it's about her-starring western Jane Got A Gun.

On Tuesday the director Lynn Ramsay didn't show on the first day of shooting, leaving the whole cast and crew wondering what's going on. In steps in Warriors' director Gavin O'Connor the very next day to take on the job, but then it happened again when lead Jude Law, who just joined the cast last week, decided he wasn't doing it either and dropped out. So now the new director and the producers  are scrambling a bit now to find a replacement  for Jude and the buzz coming out of Hollywood is that  there is a short list of three names that they are looking at:

 The Los Angeles Times has revealed the shortlist of actors being considered and the variety might surprise you. Theirs sources say that at the moment they are looking at Jake, Tobey Maguire and Jeff Bridges as possible options.  Jake and Tobey have both worked with Natalie and Jeff's Oscars are enticing. All all have Western experience with BBM, Ride with The Devil and True Grit respectively.

Based on a 2011 Black List screenplay written by Brian Duffield, the  film is about a woman (Portman) whose outlaw husband (Joel Edgerton)has run into trouble with a local gang. Realizing that their lives are in danger, the woman is forced to reach out to a former lover for help. It is the former lover part they are scrambling to fill.

The buzz is that Tobey is in the lead and many are confident he could pull it off.   Jeff , older than the other two guys, could change the direction of the movie a bit.

 But the biggest question is how could Jake step in the role? Isn't he still filming Prisoners?  Would Jane start shoot and work around his schedule until he's done?   And finally could he squeeze it in between Prisoner's and Mississippi Grind?

Little celebrations

Jake's long time friend Natalie Portman was married this weekend in Big Sur at a friend's house,

 with just close friends after dark on Saturday night.

Think Jake and Co. could have been part of that celebration.  You'd think that such long time friends would be there.

 Weddings of friends are part of those passages of time, you share with them their joy.

 

Think that was the only joy Jake was celebrating this weekend?

Ohhh the Olympics... the joy of the gymnastics?  swimming? water polo?

OMG Olympics

Monkey in the Middle.  Not the keep away game that you knew as a kid but the strategic game of adding one to make a monkey now a middle. ; )

Fraternal Paternal

Not sure how many have watched the trailer from the UK. But comparing that clip vs. the trailers that are shown in the US you can see the differences in selling the story of Brothers. One of the biggest difference is that in the UK trailer you see scenes of Sam in the war, scenes of conflict. While it is known in the story, in US that is being downplayed. Why?

Well, movies about war have been a hard sell in the US, and as Jim Sheridan says, "I think the American people just don't think there is a war on, so why should they have to go to a movie about something that doesn't exist? Their state of denial is hard to overcome,"

But Sheridan doesn't see Brothers as a war movie, but really "as a family drama about a man coming home after a long absence, and he just happens to have served in Afghanistan."


Sheridan point of view as a director is about families and relationships. He takes a bigger story, like Christy Brown in My Left Foot and focuses on the relationship between Christy and his mother's to tell it. Or telling the story of immigrating to the US, like in In America, through the relationship of a father and his daughters. The same is true for Brothers. Sheridan emphasized the family's struggle to be whole again. "It is a big thing to me to show the family at war. They are split by an event outside themselves. The war is in the family, you know."


A lot of focus in US campaign has been on Grace (Natalie) and Sam and Tommy. But the story that really emerges is more about fathers than brothers. Hank's (Sam Shepard)relationships with each of his sons. Sam's fatherly relationship with Tommy. His relationship with his girls and how that changes from forces out of everyone's control. Tommy find paternal feelings he never thought he had and stepping in as a father and how that changes his life.



Those relationships create so many themes, of expectations,disappointments, rebellion, anger, resentment, abandonment, love, acceptance, and redemption. It is a story as old as man in a setting while modern is itself timeless.



One critic talked about Jake effortless playing a father. Looking at the place in Jake's life you can see how it dovetailed from real to reel. No doubt Sheridan encouraged Jake to bring all of that into his role, relishing as Jake discovered fatherhood on all levels.


Something you might not know about Brothers. Brothers is a pretty little movie that has a powerful punch. The movie had a budget of only $25 million, with the actors talking "a quarter or maybe even a 10th of what they usually get paid," according to Sheridan.

Hammer Time

Being away working on the holidays is never fun, but sure that Jake and Natalie made the best of it and did Hanukkah Southwest style. How? Maybe Jake used his penchant for cooking and made some homemade latkes with a some chili and seasonings. Maybe a little sweet potato, chili, spring onion latkes to mix it up a bit. With a little sour cream and applesauce - delish. Okay, so he had someone act as his sous chef and shredded all those potatoes, hey PA's can be sous chefs can't they?

Light the candles, Natalie can take care of the blessing, sure Jake's Hebrew is not as good as Natalie's. While not home with family, friends can be the next best thing. Maybe Toby, Jennifer and Ruby Sweetheart joined them.

A little spin of the dreidel for some candy gelt - seriously who doesn't want to play for chocolate?

And for entertainment? All sit down and watch a new modern Hanukkah classic - the Hebrew Hammer. Maybe not a movie for everyone but bet your latkes Jake finds it hysterical.

Just who is the Hebrew Hammer? He's Mordechai Jefferson Carver(Adam Goldberg), a Certified Circumcised Dick who has dedicated his life to defending Jews. After Santa's evil son takes over Christmas he is out to get rid of Hanukkah, and make everyone celebrate Christmas the Hebrew Hammer comes to the rescue.

Hebrew Hammer creates a character rarely seen in Hollywood or off-Hollywood films: a sexy and powerful Jewish action hero. In the tradition of blackexplotation movies of the 70's, "The Hebrew Hammer" pitches stereotypes like flaming fastballs at a knowing audience. Director Jonathan Kesselman has jokingly dubbed it the first "Jewsploitation", or the first Jewish exploitation film ever."

One of the many in -jokes in the movie - "The name of the Hebrew Hammer is a reference to the story of Hanukkah, in which Judas Maccabeus helped retake the Temple in Jerusalem. "Judas Maccabeus" literally means "Judah the Hammer".

Hebrew Hammer Official Website
Hebrew Hammer Trailer

Friendship, just a perfect blendship

While the story of Tobey and Jake's squabble over makeup artists was quick to pop up, there won't be fighting between Jake and Natalie. Long time friends, Natalie might be a great person for Jake to be working with. They always seems to have a great time hanging out together, always full of fun and grins. There is a certain natural easiness about them in the other's company. After the last few months, having a great friend on set will be respite from the spin that has been tossing Jake around of late.

Jake and Natalie's natural chemistry should translate well to screen. Their relationship in the film might be easier for many to be drawn to, because of their natural rapport, than even Natalie with Tobey. And it might be for that reason Jim Sheridan cast the movie this way. To have the audience be drawn to the relationship that it naturally shouldn't, because of the spark between the actors overcomes the issues of the characters' romance.

Now what will be interesting is to see how the friendship off screen influences the romance on screen. Having such a friendship make it easier for romantic scenes because you already know the person, or does it make harder, because they know you so well?

He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother

New news regarding Brothers. (Thanks Brothers! for the press release)

Brothers is set to film in and around Santa Fe, Los Alamos, Las Vegas, Abiquiu and Glorieta, New Mexico from November 27 to January 30, giving Tobey, Natalie and Jake a Southwest flavor to their holiday season, and maybe a little spice to Jake's birthday.

It looks like Jake will have a good time on this project working with friends and director Jim Sheridan. Might be a good break from the intense shoots of Zodiac and Rendition.

Brothers tells the story of a man who is sent to fight in Afghanistan (Tobey) while his black-sheep brother(Jake) becomes caretaker to his wife (Natalie) and child.

Disappointing that the Boston location wasn't chosen, but there are upsides to the New Mexico one. Closer to home for Jake to go see his boys -- the Lakers, Atticus, oh, oh, yeah and that guy who looks like Tom Brady. And the other reason - great turquoise, just in case he needs to pick up some Christmas gifts.

Brothers set to film in New Mexico

IHJ - Jake in Beverly Hills - Nov 13