HOME TRAILERS RELEASE DATES PODCASTS REVIEWS POSTERS INTERVIEWS BOB $TENCIL NEWS FEEDS ABOUT APPS

LATEST NEWS

Al Pacino Starring in Adaptation of Malcolm Gladwell's Blink

by Alex Billington
May 12, 2009

How can they adapt a great book like Blink, you ask? Well, screenwriter Stephen Gaghan has found a way, or so we hope. Over at the Risky Biz Blog, they have early details on how it's being dramatized as well as the news that Al Pacino is set to star. The project was initially setup at Universal, but then went indie at William Morris. For those unfamiliar with Blink, the book is Malcolm Gladwell's very popular exploration into how we make snap judgments. "Blink is a book about how we think without thinking, about choices that seem to be made in an instant - in the blink of an eye - that actually aren't as simple as they seem."

The script will focus on the relationship between an older man and his twenty-something son that "he was never close to." The father is a financial Wall Street type living in Connecticut, and his son is an "idealistic drifter" who's teaching at a New York school. The two reconnect and must "navigate their new relationship." Apparently the son has the Blink ability - he can size up people and situations on a dime. And the father wants to use that to make them money. Risky Biz calls it "Scent of a Woman with a finance-y twist -- colorful, self-involved older guy mentoring younger ingenue for reasons both selfless and selfish."

As mentioned, Al Pacino will play the father, but the role of the son hasn't been cast. I'm sure they'll find some up-and-coming young actor soon enough, especially since this is selling at Cannes right now. As for that story, I like it, it sounds like an interesting idea based off of the concept of Blink. However, I'm worried that we're going to see another lackluster adaptation of an exceptional novel a lot like Fast Food Nation. That was so dramatized, that it wasn't good anymore by the time Richard Linklater was done with it. We'll keep you updated on the progress of this adaptation. And pick up the book if you haven't read it yet.

Explore tags: Casting, Movie News, Opinions

http://the-greater-truth.blogspot.com Homero

Blink is my favorite Sociology book (I actually read a lot of them) and I don't really think it'll be adapted well into a film...it's not a narrative book, it's an informational literary work...it's like trying to make Windows for Dummies into a book, it just won't work. This film is going to be very disappointing...ugh. Alex, I'm one of the few people who actually prefer Gladwell's Blink to The Tipping Point, which one did you like better?
Keith

loved the book, although it did leave something to be desired. hope this is as good
MgbPeregrine

This should be an interesting adaptation for sure. I refer to the concepts of Blink all the time since we do live in a "snap judgement" world. Wonder how it will play out -- serious, humorous, mysterious? Pacino can make something of it for sure. I like the generational angle as well!
http://www.themoviebanter.com Craig

Seems like a steal for Gladwell. I love the book but it's a case study book, not a story based book. Why would they adapt this book, based on the story you said there is not one thing that exists in the book. I'm not even sure how they can consider this an adaptation, it's just a made up movie.
b

Good call on the Fast Food Nation comparison, Alex. It was completely OVERDONE and too dramatic, a real low-point I think for Linklater and it felt like a high school kid did it. Gaghan's a great writer and a nice guy, I hope he can do this well.