I agree--there's no reason Affleck wouldn't want a role like that, because it's a good role, I just wonder at which point he got the role. Was there ever a concept of the movie without Affleck in the lead? Did it take him as Mendez to go anywhere?

I may be following Google tangents for a while. Some days are lazy and informative like that.

I was reading up about the character who was the fake artist, and she's an artist for real now. In a mastery of understatement (or lack of information), I found this in her bio for an art show:

traveling with her diplomat husband for over twenty years in Africa and the Middle East, she was charmed by new people, places, and rhythms of everyday life

Her stuff's good--what I've seen has been of the areas at her postings.

Was there ever a concept of the movie without Affleck in the lead? Did it take him as Mendez to go anywhere?

I have no idea, but he directed too, didn't he? That makes it pretty clearly in my mind a movie he made happen. I feel like I heard some interview about him reading the story, but am too lazy to do the research right now.

Affleck cast himself because he wanted to play the main character, pretty much. I wouldn't call it whitewashing except that the number of people who can say "Hey I want to direct and star in this movie," and just be handed millions of dollars do tend to be white dudes.

Just saw The Man With the Iron Fists. It was pretty much exactly what I expected. This is one satisfied customer.

I wouldn't call it whitewashing except that the number of people who can say "Hey I want to direct and star in this movie," and just be handed millions of dollars do tend to be white dudes.

I don't understand why it's not whitewashing. Would it be whitewashing if he wasn't the director or making casting decisions? Is that what you mean?

he directed too, didn't he? That makes it pretty clearly in my mind a movie he made happen

Directors get hired onto films all the time. There's no way to tell from that title alone whose baby it is.

I should get back to reading, so I can figure out what the answer actually is.

It was pretty much exactly what I expected

What were you expecting?

Cheesey martial arts with lots of blood and gore.

Directors get hired onto films all the time. There's no way to tell from that title alone whose baby it is.

Of course, but direct and star?

Just saw The Man With the Iron Fists. It was pretty much exactly what I expected. This is one satisfied customer.

I really want to see that!

Of course, but direct and star?

A producer could have sold him both those jobs. There's nothing telling in the information so far, but "I bet we can get Affleck to [star in/direct] this script I [have written/ got from by barista] if I also let him [direct/star in] it" is more than simply plausible, it's not uncommon. Hell, they buttered Colin up that way, albeit with a TV movie. (eta: Aha! He's also a producer--now that smells like it, but also him offering to star might have been a concession to get to direct it, or whatever. I just don't know how to guess with no background information, and I haven't found the right article yet (I did get distracted from looking pretty quickly, tho))

Cheesey martial arts with lots of blood and gore

I find my tolerance for this weirdly waning. So RZA is an apt director? (Writer/actor/...) The trailers made me think of QT and I am not a fan.

Okay, here's what I learnt--Affleck was given the script by the studio and before it reached him, it had been in the hands of Clooney (who, technically, looks a *smidge* more like Mendez but not enough...) and Grant Heslov, who had been working on it for more than five years. It seems like they gave it to him to direct and produce and he decided he wanted to star. Did te studio know this when they gave it to him? Who suggested it?

I don't know, and maybe I'll do more research from the ER.