At a glance, the title –Â The Revised Fundamentals Of Caregiving – reads like an instructional manual. However, it’s actually a keenly observed dramedy novel in the vein of Matthew Quick’s fictional offerings. So, bearing that comparison in mind, it’s no wonder that the film rights were snapped up and development is now on track with the addition of its first cast member, Paul Rudd. Yep, Ant-Man’s taking the fantasy down a notch for this quirky indie.
Based on the book by Jonathan Evison, the film follows Ben Benjamin (Rudd). Aimless after losing his wife and family, he slinks from job to job with no ambition for a prosperous future, until one day he takes a night class in… you got it, caregiving. He winds up landing a job overseeing a teenager with muscular dystrophy, Trev, and the pair strike up an unorthodox friendship. As someone who’s read – and loved – the book, Rudd’s brand of understated drama and deadpan comedy timing are a perfect fit for Ben. After his stint as Ant-Man, it’ll be a return to smaller fare for the actor that isn’t likely to include green screen and lycra underpants.
Set to direct the flick is Emmy award-winning writer David Burnett, who’ll work from his own adapted script. Adding a dollop of awards bait potential are producers Donna Gigliotti (The Silver Linings Playbook) and James Spies.
Currently, the film is still in early stages, with the shoot aiming to begin in Atlanta later this month. The southern locale is a proven hotspot for filming due to tax breaks, but still, to get personal for a moment it breaks my heart a little, as much of the novel takes place in my neighbourhood. Either way, it’s a movie I’m very much looking forward to.
Until any new information on The Revised Fundamentals Of Caregiving is released, you can check out a brief snippet of the novel’s synopsis below and head on over to Evison’s website to learn even more about Ben Benjamin’s tale.
In this new novel, Jonathan Evison, author of the New York Times bestseller West of Here, has crafted a story that is as grounded in the stark reality of its characters’ struggles as it is filled with the kind of hopeful joy that enables them to make it from one day to the next. A novel of the heart, a novel of unlikely heroes in a grand American landscape, it is most of all a profound look into what it takes to truly care for one another.
