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[gkfi]

While doing promotion on LET ME IN's opening weekend, Chloe Moretz spoke to Collider in an exclusive phone interview in which she revealed, "I think my next one will be 'Hick' with Derick Martini, which is very exciting. Kirsten Dunst is in talks to be in the movie."

The film was first announced this summer and its a tremendously gritty film. It "tracks a 13-year-old Nebraska girl who gets more than she bargained for when she runs away to Las Vegas."

Source: http://www.collider.com/2010/10/04/chloe-moretz-interview-let-me-in-hugo-cabret-emily-the-strange/

[Michael900]

Kirsten will not be play leading role ?

[pam_cris]

Well the leading role is a 13 year old girl, so no.

[Michael900]

It is option that Kirsten could be in make up. BTW She looks young

[gkfi]

Exclusive: Kirsten Dunst Set To Join Chloe Moretz In Coming Of Age Road Drama, ‘Hick’

Actress Kirsten Dunst is attached to star opposite Chloe Moretz (”Kick-Ass,” “Let Me In”) in the Taylor Lane Productions/Lighthouse Entertainment adaptation of Andrea Portes’ coming of age novel “Hick” according to Taylor Lane owner and founder Christian Taylor who spoke to the Playlist by phone this weekend from his home in California.

Recent rumors suggested that Colin Farrell would be taking the lead male role in the picture and while Taylor confirmed that the Irish star was in discussions for the part, he ultimately had to pass due to a 2011 scheduling conflict with what appears to be Columbia‘s “Total Recall” remake which will apparently start lensing in the spring of 2011.

”Lymelife” filmmaker and Martin Scorsese protege Derick Martini is already scheduled to direct (Scorsese also executive produced “Lymelife” which was Martini’s feature-length debut and lent his name to 1999’s micro-budgeted “Smiling Fish & Goat on Fire” feature which Martini starred in and co-wrote). Martini received a Breakthrough Director nomination from the 2009 Gotham Awards for his work on “Lymelife” (and coincidentally enough, the 2010 Gotham Awards take place tonight in New York City).

Portes’ debut book—she also wrote the screenplay—- tracks Luli (Moretz), a 13-year-old Nebraskan girl and her hard-going life on the road after she runs away from her neglectful parents and home. Taylor described the film as having a mix of various elements; from the sassy sardonic teenage wit of Diablo Cody to fantasy elements described “as if Danny Boyle directed ‘The Wizard Of Oz’ ”—a picture that seems to have various thematic ties to “Hick.” The producer also told us the film would heavily feature an ‘80s soundtrack and would be akin to the young roles Jodi Foster took in her teenage years (evidently there are some difficult/potentially “sensitive” scenes in the picture). In the drama with its shades of dark humor, Dunst will play Glenda, the hard-living grifter who takes the young Luli in off the road. The role of Eddie—a menacing and volatile James Dean-like grifter—has not yet been cast, but was the one Farrell was in discussions over. Here’s the Amazon synopsis.

Young Luli knows losers — her “aging Brigitte Bardot” mother, Tammy, and her father, Nick, go at each other every night at the Alibi, the watering hole in hometown Palmyra, Neb. Tammy runs away one morning, and Nick soon follows, leaving Luli alone at home with the Smith and Wesson .45 her Uncle Nipper gave her. Pistol in tow, she hitches rides heading west to Vegas. A crooked man named Eddie picks her up briefly before throwing her out of the car. Next comes cocaine-snorting grifter Glenda, who enlists Luli as an accessory to a robbery that goes awry. Glenda takes Luli under her wing. The two cross paths again with Eddie, who rapes Luli and ties her up in a secluded motel. Glenda comes to her rescue, but the confrontation with Eddie ends badly. Luli’s flippant narration makes for a love-it or hate-it read.

Taylor said other touchstone influences for the picture are Terrence Malick‘s “Badlands” and Peter Bogdanovich‘s “Paper Moon.” The producer believes the picture could be an awards vehicle for Moretz if all goes well. “Hick” is eyeing a February 2011 shoot in New Mexico and a male lead is actively being sought.

Source: indiewire

[John.]

Heh heh Colin "I'm going to bang every actress in Hollywood" Farrell  & Kirsten "Well he's not going to bang me!" Dunst in the same movie would have been interesting.   

James Franco sounds ideal for the part of Eddie. Perhaps a bit too obvious though given that he has previously played James Dean in a film.

This sounds like Kirstens 'darkest' role to date (although who knows what "Melancholia" will bring  ).

This could well be a pretty controversial film but I'm definitely looking forward to seeing this one.

[gkfi]

I can see James Franco in this role, but I guess the director wanted a menacing/mascular male lead. Curious to see how this will turn out.


And John, this might sounds like one of Kirsten's 'darker' roles, but director Derick Martini has already admitted in previous interview that while he wants to maintain the integrity of the book his big screen adaptation of Hick will not portray the subject matter in a gratuitous way.

He insisted that although the novel does focus on themes such as rape and drug use but these will be handed in an 'elegant' manner.

Speaking to Digital Spy he said: "You can't take it and turn it into an after-school special or into something that's so soft.

"If it's handled in a way that's very delicate and along the lines of a movie [like] Paper Moon... you can tell this story in a way where you make your point without being gratuitous or exploitative because I won't make that kind of movie."

"There's won't be skin in Hick and it won't be gratuitous. It'll be handled in an elegant manner, but these things do exist out here and this story was written down on the page for a reason.

"I think it's a wonderful story and it's got a tremendous amount of humour in it. The character that Chloe's playing is actually quite hilarious and the characters around her are absurdly funny.

"It's not all doom and gloom, certainly not the way I intend to make it."

[John.]

I had read that interview gkfi. Funnily enough that was the main reason why I thought the film might be controversial. It's going to take a very deft hand for the director to balance the undoubtedly dark subject matter with his intended humourous approach.

I'm not saying Mr Martini can't achieve it but if the resulting film is even slightly 'off' then (a lot of) critics will castigate him & the film. No doubt some will even if the film is 'perfect' though.     

[gkfi]

The film has a 13-year-old girl get involved with adult stuff, of course it going to be controversial no matter what. I remembered Dakota Fanning's similiar attempt at coming-of-age tale a few years ago was somewhat panned by critics. There's a fragile balance between dark comedy and drama, we can just hope Mr. Martini does the book justice.

[John.]

Funny you should mention the Dakota Fanning film as (until this week) that was the only film premiere Kirsten had attended since April 2007. A strange co-incidence?

You are quite correct though. Let's hope the director finds that balance.

[gkfi]

Still no official confirmation about Kirsten's involvement with this film (she said she's not committed to it, at least not yet, a while ago), but for those of you interested, "Hick" has started its casting process.

You can read more about it at:
http://www.exploretalent.com/auditions/feature-film-sag-kirsten-dunst-chloe-moretz-feature-film-nationwide_812287

[John.]

Interesting that that link actually mentions Kirstens name.

I've just finished reading the book. I'm not going to talk about the plot or anything like that but it didn't particularly read to me as a novel that'll easily translate to the screen.

One thing I noticed from that link is that they were looking for one adult and one child for the film. That would suggest (to me anyway) that most of the 'minor' roles in the film have already been cast. So I'm guessing that they are still aiming to start filming around the end of February.

 

[John.]

Blake Lively has said that she has been cast in the film. It's been reported that she will be taking on the role of Glenda but from what Blake has said I'm almost certain that this is incorrect & she will actually be playing Tammy who is the mother of Luli (Chloe Moritz's character in the film).

I'm a bit baffled that a 23 year old actress has apparently been cast to play the mother of a 13 year old to be honest. Having read the book that certainly doesn't fit with how Luli describes her mother.

[gkfi]

I guess she's sort of been typecast because of The Town. Indiewire reached out to the producers on the film, and when asked about what seems like a casting switcheroo they simply responded with a “no comment.” But based on Blake's description of her role, I think kirsten was simply playing another role if she ever signed on for this film. Vince Vaughn and Alec Baldwin are rumoured to join the cast as well.

[gkfi]

Who's Hilda? IMDB has changed Kirsten's character's name under Hick, but they still haven't listed Lively or Redmayne there.