Word on director Greg Mottola's improv-based film starring Larry David took a leap last month with the addition of Jon Hamm, continuing the “Mad Men” actor's gradual public journey from dramatic mainstay to eventual 20-time “SNL” host, but while Hamm is using the film to further his chops, another actor who began his career in the comedy genre looks to duck back into the fray.
In a recent interview with Grantland, Michael Keaton announced his involvement in the Fox Searchlight film, and commented on his relationship with Larry David from when they were younger. “It's funny. He was one of the first guys I met when we were both doing stand-up,” the actor said, referring to his short comedy club career before he snagged the TV show “All's Fair.” “He actually remembered the exact month we met standing in line outside of Catch A Rising Star. At the time, I was going back and forth [from Pittsburgh] to New York — driving my '65 Volkswagen bug — trying to be an actor, or to write, and I'd just started doing improv.” Many years passed, and now with an outline written by David, and further tweaked by screenwriters Alec Berg, Jeff Schaffer and David Mandel (“The Dictator”), it appears the two will work together once more.
Naturally, Keaton's experience on the stand-up circuit should serve him well in the as-yet-untitled film, as he squares off against David in the lead in addition to Hamm as the "villain." With Mottola behind the scenes as well, perhaps aiming to nail that mainstream, off-the-cuff atmosphere he missed with “Paul” (although the alien CG constraints didn't do him any favors), consider us thoroughly psyched for what's to come. The comparison point for the film has of course been a film version of “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” but if casting continues to skew as inspired as these past choices have been, the end result should have an identity all its own.
