Richard Armitage’s New Film Project “Brain on Fire”: Will the Medical Plot Sizzle or Fizzle?, July 17, 2015 Gratiana Lovelace (Post #785)

With any announcement of a new artistic project for the exquisitely talented British Actor Richard Armitage, our hearts go aflutter with anticipation. And this past year, Mr. Armitage has had so many new projects, the man is the hardest working actor on the planet. 2015-2016 could end up with a bumper crop of new Armitage film projects being released. So start saving your pennies now.

Not only are “Urban and the Shed Crew”, “Sleepwalker”, and “Pilgrimage” in post production, but Richard Armitage will star in Edith Wharton’s “Summer” (yet to be filmed), and he is currently filming “Brain on Fire” (image right) in Vancouver, Canada.

Intriguing title that–“Brain on Fire”.   Below is an excerpt of the “Brain on Fire” movie plot–in a link shared by the “Brain on Fire” book author Susannah Cahalan, on which the movie is based–with thanks to Teresa A for pointing me to Ms. Cahalan’s “Brain on Fire” FB page with that link on it:

“Carrie-Anne Moss and Richard Armitage are joining the cast of Gerard Barrett’s Brain On Fire opposite Chloe Grace Moretz. Broad Green Pictures made the announcement today in partnership with Denver & Delilah and Foundation Features. The project is based on Susannah Cahalan’s critically acclaimed memoir about a rising journalist (Moretz) at the New York Post who mysteriously starts having seizures and hearing voices.”

There a major misdiagnosis because it turns out that she has a very rare disease–that is only treated with luck. Richard Armitage and Carrie-Anne Moss play the ill girl’s estranged parents. To me, it sounds like the basic story–based on true events–has some potential for film dramatization in terms of parent angst, sick girl chewing the scenery as she flits from symptom to worsening symptom, and then a happy ending with the young 24 year old girl being healed. However, I would really like to see the parent dynamic explored in the film–in terms of how a crisis can either bring out the best or the worst in people, and sometimes, both.

But I have not read the “Brain on Fire” book. And the script adaptation of that book will be essential as to whether what some might view to be basically a medical drama–but without the jolting body count associated with some books turned into film thrillers like Robin Cook’s book “Coma” directed by Michael Crichton. In “Coma” hundreds of people are intentionally put into coma’s so that their organs could be harvested and transplanted into rich people willing to pay. That could never happen, right? *shivers*

So while we wait to learn more about Richard Armitage’s new film “Brain on Fire”, here are links to two book reviews by two Richard Armitage Fans and bloggers for your consideration:

“Brain Scan and Perry Gets Personal” on Perry’s Armitage Agonistes blog

“Musings: #RichardArmitage and Susannah Cahalan’s Brain on Fire” on jholland’s Preoccupied with Armitage blog

And Ms. Cahalan shared a You tube link for a song that she said Mr. Armitage was using to channel her father’s character. To which I say–after listening to 2 of the 5 minutes of the song’s already droning and repetitive monotony–no wonder she became ill. *facetious alert*

And, finally, I muse about what character look Richard Armitage will adopt for the father of a 24 year old? Here are a few potential Dad looks from past RA portraits:

Laconic in “Into the Storm”    Bringing Cheer in “Strike Back)
(via Todd Garner tweet)                                   (via RANet)

                                    

Or my personal favorite, will RA as the Dad be on the edge of his seat, hoping for good news from the medical staff? (DaMan image via RANet again)

 

We’ll see if I get around to reading the “Brain on Fire” book. In the meantime, my copy of the Bernard Hare memoir “Urban Grimshaw and the Shed Crew” arrived this week. So that will be my next read–before seeing Richard Armitage portray Chop in that film. And I look forward to learning more about the film “Brain on Fire”.