John Krasinski – so good as the affable Jim on the US version of The Office – has signed on to star alongside Meryl Streep, Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in Nancy Meyers’ new, untitled, romantic comedy, bringing the average age of the cast down below 80 in a single stroke.
Krasinski has been plugging away at a sustainable movie career, combining cameos in the likes of Kinsey, Dreamgirls, and Meyers’ The Holiday with starring roles in Leatherheads, Licence To Wed and the new Sam Mendes’ movie,** Away We Go**. He’s also turned his hand to writing and directing, with Brief Interviews With Hideous Men, a David Foster Wallace adaptation that premiered at this year’s Sundance.
But so far, movie stardom has proved elusive for the 29 year-old. Perhaps this movie will change all that, for Meyers’ movies usually connect with audiences. Although it’s not known how significant Krasinski’s role will be, given that the movie is a love triangle between Streep, Baldwin and Martin.
Normally, the prospect of a Nancy Meyers comedy – insufferably smug, bland, and seemingly interminable offerings for the Stannah stairlift set – is about as appealing as a nice relaxing soak in a tub of sulphuric acid, but we’ll give this one a chance, mainly because of the sublime cast. Mind you, we said that about The Holiday, and look where that got us.