Damn, as far as indie movie hand offs go, this one is pretty great. So, Mark Ruffalo can no longer do your movie? How about John Hawkes instead? That's precisely what's happening with "Low Down," the developing jazz biopic focused on Joe Albany.
Based on his daughter Amy Albany's memoir "Low Down: Junk, Jazz, and Other Fairy Tales From Childhood," the film will be told from the perspective of a child as she watches her father navigate the jazz scene of the '60s and '70s while struggling with drug addiction. While Albany might not be a household name, his talent allowed him to play alongside giants like Benny Carter, Charlie Parker and Miles Davis. So in short: Hawkes playing an addicted, but deftly talented musician? Yep, we're in.
Commercial director Jeff Preiss, who is also a partner at Epoch Films who are producing the pic with Bona Fide ("Little Miss Sunshine"), will be making his feature directorial debut on the project that is now eyeing a March start. As for Ruffalo, who was originally cast back in 2011, it was scheduling issues that ultimately forced him out, but like we said, getting Hawkes instead ain't too shabby at all. [Variety]
