DiminishedCapacity Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Some of cinema's most iconic shots of Chicago appear in Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and the film is certainly Matthew Broderick's most iconic role. So, it's hard to watch the actor in the Chicago-set Diminished Capacity and not ask yourself, "is this what's happened to Ferris?" He is now relatively passive, paunchy and pitiful in the role of Cooper, a newspaper editor who has recently suffered a mildly debilitating concussion. And the character could be classified as yet another sad sack, one of three such parts he can be seen playing at present (Then She Found Me opened in April and is still in theaters; Finding Amanda debuted last week).

But is it fair that we most associate Broderick with Ferris, thereby continuing our disappointment in seeing him play one nebbish nobody after another? Couldn't we redirect our memories and accept that Broderick's modern roles are more like grown-up versions of Eugene Jerome, of Neil Simon's plays Brighton Beach Memoirs and Biloxi Blues, who he portrayed on Broadway as well as in the film adaptation of Biloxi? Were Eugene not the fictional incarnation of Simon and had he not therefore become a famous writer (and were he not from an earlier time period), the character surely could have gone on to be the pathetic teacher of Election or Then She Found Me or the absentminded editor of Diminished Capacity.

Cinematical has just received this exclusive poster for Diminished Capacity (click to enlarge), starring Matthew Broderick, Virginia Madsen and Alan Alda. Based on Sherwood Kiraly's novel, the film is -- to borrow an old quote from myself -- a "quiet little comedy starring Matthew Broderick as a guy suffering from memory loss due to a concussion who joins up with his Alzheimer's-impaired Uncle (Alan Alda) on a journey to a baseball memorabilia expo to sell a rare card."

While it first premiered back at Sundance, I managed to catch this gem at the Gen Art Film Festival a few months later and really enjoyed it. If you're from Chicago or happen to be a Cubs fan, definitely check out this flick because it's tailor-made for you. Everyone else should enjoy the subtle performances and quirky characters (Alan Alda is a blast to watch); I know I did. As I said back when I first saw it, it's the kind of film that just leaves you with good vibes. And don't we all need a little of that every now and then? You can check out the film's trailer over on Moviefone, and make sure you head out and support this indie winner when it hits theaters in NYC (Sunshine Theater), Los Angeles (Music Hall Theatre), Chicago (Century Centre & Renaissance Place) and On Demand (Your living room) this July 4.

Last night I attended the opening of the 2008 Gen Art Film Festival here in New York City, where the film Diminished Capacity enjoyed its New York premiere at the historic Ziegfeld Theater. Did you go? Really enjoyed this film; as one guy points out in the video above -- "it was cozy." That's exactly how I felt; it was this quiet little comedy starring Matthew Broderick as a guy suffering from memory loss due to a concussion who joins up with his Alzheimer's-impaired Uncle (Alan Alda) on a journey to a baseball memorabilia expo to sell a rare card. Great quirky characters (especially Dylan Baker as a crazed Cubs fan) and the kind of film that just leaves you with good vibes.

But anyway, our very good pal David Jr. is all over this year's festival (as he is every year) with his trusty video camera that tends to freak people out (watch Matthew Broderick's reaction). So if you weren't able to attend the festival last night, his videos give you a great glimpse at what it's like to enjoy a hot, hip Gen Art film event. Seriously, these people are very hot and very hip. I do not, in any way, shape or form, belong in their company. I'm just a slacker from Queens who's balding.

Enjoy the video. Visit DavidJr.com for more of his wacky videos. And head over to the official Gen Art Film Fest site to get tickets, see what's screening, blah blah blah. OH, and Diminished Capacity hits theaters on June 27. Go see it -- cute flick.

Although Virginia Madsen has worked consistently since her start in 1983's Class, Sideways marked a bit of a return for the actress, who hadn't received much attention since some of her darker films of the 90's. After indulging in tasty California wines, she's had some higher-profile roles, but her live action work hasn't really measured up to her success in the Alexander Payne film. The Number 23? Egads! However, I wouldn't be surprised if the latest casting news will come to her aid. Variety is reporting that she's signed on to star in Diminished Capacity, along with Matthew Broderick and Alan Alda in headlining roles, and Bobby Cannavale and Lois Smith in other starring roles.

Sherwood Kiraly, who wrote the book that the film will be based on, is currently writing the screenplay, and Oz alum Terry Kinney will direct the feature. Mr. Sarah Jessica Parker will take the lead as Cooper Zerbs, a man who is suffering from memory loss after a closed-head injury. Along with his high school sweetheart (played by Madsen), and his Alzheimer's-ailed Uncle Rollie (Alda), he travels to a memorabilia show where the memory-loss pair scheme to sell a valuable baseball card to get the older man money. As if dealing with two memory-challenged men wasn't enough, the book has a bunch of added quirks -- namely, a poetic fish, a Dear John videotape, a gun-slinging alcoholic who trades baseball cards for booze (Could this be Cannavale's role? I can only hope!) and a fast-food establishment with a genetically-engineered salad. It sounds weird enough to work. But let's hope that it's more of the Sideways calibre, and less of the 23 flop. The movie will be filmed this Spring in New York and Chicago, so we might be able to see it by the end of the year.