Stephen Root rules. Probably best known as Milton Waddams in “Office Space” the character actor moves effortlessly from comedy to drama to horror and is constantly working on a new project. Hell, just look at the wide variety of films he’s had this year alone: “Red State,” “Cedar Rapids,” “Everything Must Go,” voicing a part in “Rango,” popping up in “Justified” and he’s got “J. Edgar” around the corner. Not bad. He was also in Robert Redford‘s dusty musty drama “The Conspirator” earlier this year and he’s impressed the Sundance veteran enough that he wants to work with him again.
Set to begin lensing next month, Redford has enlisted Root for the political thriller “The Company You Keep.” The film has lined up an impressive cast thus far with Redford, Shia LaBeouf, Nick Nolte, Brit Marling, Susan Sarandon, Julie Christie and Richard Jenkins on board for the Lem Dobbs (”Kafka,” “The Limey”)-scribed tale about a former Weather Underground militant (Redford, naturally) wanted by the FBI for 30 years, who must go on the run when his true identity is exposed by a young, ambitious reporter hell-bent on making a name for himself (LaBeouf). Root will play Billy Cusimano, a lawyer who had represented Redford’s character on drug charges years before.
While Redford can get somewhat strident whenever politics are at play, here’s hoping it’s more thriller and less soapbox (and we’d guess with Dobbs wielding the pen, that may be the case). With shooting taking place next month, we presume this will show up on the fall festival radar in 2012. [Variety]