"The law of gravity is racist." - Washington D.C. Mayor Marion Barry.
Marion Barry is getting an HBO biopic. And in all honesty, that's exciting. Barry served as mayor of the nation's capital city from 1979 to 1999, with a four-year Sharon Pratt Kelly term separating his third and fourth stints in office. Over that time, Barry amassed a slew of criticism and mockery due to controversies and his generally atypical character. And now, filmmaker Spike Lee is giving his take on the mayor in a developing biopic, with Eddie Murphy in the leading role.
This is a big leap for the Murphy we have come to know, and a promising one. The actor started out as a triumphant comedian, then devolved into a more family-oriented funnyman...and then became the king of "Why is this a movie?" movies. But it is not to late for a career reboot. Murphy shined in a few dramatic roles over the past decade, most notably Dreamgirls.
So, perhaps he'll go the Bill Murray route, wowing us with a stupendous dramatic turn! Sure, it's an HBO movie...but telveision (or the HBO-alternative to TV) is becoming a new breeding ground for great actors working on interesting projects. And with a subject like Barry, who is a goldmine for any screenwriter, this film might have what it takes to launch Murphy to this new plateau.
This is not the first HBO movie attempt at the Marion Barry story. Chris Rock attempted to write a project for Jamie Foxx to star, but nothing ever materialized. This new endeavor will be written by John Ridley (Twelve Years a Slave).
Source: Indiewire