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Gerard Butler Going Rogue in an Adaptation of 'The Bricklayer' Novel

by Ethan Anderton
August 8, 2011
Source: THR

We'll likely hear more about Gerard Butler when two of his performances are seen on screen in Coriolanus and Machine Gun Preacher, both of which will hit at the Toronto International Film Festival next month (keep an eye out for Alex's coverage of the fest). But now THR says the actor is taking another gig as The Bricklayer in an adaptation of Noah Boyd's novel of the same name. As a supposed former FBI agent, the author paints a unique and intricate fictional tale about a rogue former agent who’s called in to help battle a criminal group that is demanding an escalating series of multi-million dollar ransom payments.

Here's a slightly more detailed account of Boyd's novel:

A mysterious organization calling itself the Rubaco Pentad is blackmailing the FBI. If the Pentad’s demands for money are not met, high-profile victims will die. Each demand is bigger than the last, and the drop-off instructions are lethally complicated—it’s almost as if the Pentad wants the FBI to fail. But when an agent disappears with the cash he’s carrying, he needs to be found, and fast. One thing is clear: someone who knows a little too much about the inner workings of the Bureau is very clever —and very angry—and will kill and kill again if it means he can disgrace the FBI. The FBI pins its hopes on former agent Steve Vail, who quit rather than compromise his rigid personal code and is now working as a bricklayer.

Sounds like quite a smart thriller, and hopefully, with his aforementioned festival bound films, will help him recover from the disaster that was The Bounty Hunter with Jennifer Aniston. Since making a huge splash in 300, Butler hasn't exactly made the best choices in roles ranging from disappointing turns in The Ugly Truth to the over-the-top action packed Neveldine and Taylor flick Gamer. However, Law Abiding Citizen was quite a compelling thriller, even if it jumped the shark a bit in the third act. Hanna Weg is scripting the film, but I can't speak to her talents on the page since her work has yet to be seen on the big screen. Here's hoping this turns out to be as intriguing a thriller as the synopsis makes it out to be.

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