Update: Production Weekly quotes somebody (his agent? publicist?) saying “Robert De Niro won’t be in the film. It would be great, but there is no negotiation about it.” So, there you go.
The 1989 Neil Jordan comedy “We’re No Angels” is notable for one thing, and one thing only: teaming two of the most acclaimed actors of their respective generations, Robert De Niro and Sean Penn, for the first time. Unfortunately the results were fairly disastrous; indeed Penn hasn’t worked in comedy since, although he’s meant to be one of “The Three Stooges” for the Farrelly Brothers at some point.
Today, however, the news has emerged that the pair could be re-teaming on something a little weightier, as Production Weekly, who, from their workload, apparently downed a couple of gallons of coffee yesterday, are reporting that De Niro may join Penn in Paolo Sorrentino’s “This Must Be The Place,” in the role of Mordecai Levi. Sorrentino, who’s making his English language debut with the film, was behind the excellent Italian film “Il Divo,” and looks to be assembling quite a cast, with that film’s star Toni Servillo and the great Frances McDormand also on board.
The plot follows a retired rock star who decides to track down and kill the ex-Nazi war criminal who executed his father. While Penn might be a little young to play someone who was conceived prior to WWII, Sorrentino had no problem aging Servillo to startling effect in “Il Divo.” There’s not really any indication if it’s a heavy revenge drama or more of a black comedy — but knowing Sorretino’s previous work, our guess is a little from column A, a little from column B. Either way, we’re excited. Could we be about to see a De Niro project worthy of his talents for the first time in years?
