Indie Sucker

Submitted by Kenny Schneids, FreeDarko reader:

FROM HOOPS TO HOLLYWOOD: What will 39-year-old Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller do for a living after retiring from basketball? And why did he invite Oscar-winner Hilary Swank and her husband, Chad Lowe, to last night's Pacers-Knicks game at Madison Square Garden? It turns out that Miller will be the executive producer - while Swank will be just a producer and Lowe will be director - of the $3.2 million indie movie "Beautiful Ohio," a poignant coming-of-age tale starring Laura Dern. L.A. lawyer Tim Hoy, who reps Miller at the SFX Sports agency, told me yesterday that his client has invested "seven figures" in the film.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/col/story/297107p-254164c.html

Reggie should be careful, now he's on Spike Lee's turf.

EDITOR'S NOTE: My first immediate thought is the pervasive use of "poignant" in referencing "coming-of-age" tales. Let's come up with something better people. Clearly, most coming-of-age tales are raunchy or callow. But poignant is just overused... whatever.

Secondly, the choice of Laura Dern is befuddling. Hilary Swank casting Laura Dern is akin to Michael Douglas casting Dennis Quaid. If you're going to make a flick where the main actor is a lesser reflection of yourself, why not just do it yourself? She's fallen mightily since Blue Velvet (both a poignant and rauncy coming of age tale).

So as for Reggie's investment in film. Man, I don't even want to share with you my thoughts on his motivation given the post below. But investing in indie movies are one of the most speculative investments one can make, so Reggie clearly isn't in it for the big payoff. Someone got to him, for him to open his wallet like that. Go watch a screening of Undercover Brother to see just the power that "White She Devil" can wield.

Man Reggie, what does Cheryl have to say?