Manic Martin

He hasn't been on our big screens much lately, but you could hardly describe Steve Martin as a slacker. As well as writing a couple of novels, a play or two and preparing to present a little award ceremony this March, the lanky fellow's now lined up his next celluloid outing, a remake of 1950 family favourite Cheaper by the Dozen. Moving firmly away from the dark-tinged comedy of his more than dodgy last flick Novocaine, Martin will play a caring father of 12 whose career as an efficiency expert more than affects his family life. Saddled with a dozen rambunctious kiddies, the hopeful Dad tries to run his brood with the same systems he employs at corporations while his wife both creates problems and solves them. Aside from this family fare, we will next see Martin starring opposite Queen Latifah of all people in what sounds like a frankly appalling Disney comedy Bringing Down the House about a lonely guy who finds his perfect girl on the internet only to have her break out of prison to meet him. Wisely moving on quickly, the lucky man will then star opposite Claire Danes in Shopgirl, a film adapted from his own novel about a disenchanted sales assistant and aspiring artist, while his stage play, Picasso at the Lapin Agile is also heading to the screen and another novel "The Pleasure of My Company" will hit the shelves this October. While we may well soundly castigate the chap if he delivers yet another woefully gag-empty Oscar ceremony in a couple of month's time, there's obviously more to The Jerk than meets the eye.