Peter Berg has found quite a bit of success adapting the work of his cousin, Buzz Bissinger, and considering the complete dud that was Battleship, the director might be wise to seek a safe refuge away from blockbusters. Berg adapted Bissinger's novel, Friday Night Lights, into one of the best sports movies in recent memory, and also a highly regarded(if low rated) TV series. Now he'll direct the author's most recent work, the family road trip drama, Father's Day: A Journey Into the Mind and Heart of My Extraordinary Son.
While a true story much like Friday Night Lights, Father's Day is a far more personal story, telling the true tale of Bissinger's twin sons. Born 3 1/2 minutes apart and way premature, the two couldn't be more different. The oldest son, Gerry, grows up to be a brilliant Penn State graduate. The other son, Zach, is challenged by mental disability, but is also a savant gifted with incredibly rare knowledge and talents. Bissinger embarks on a road trip across America with Zach, in hopes of learning more about his son and figuring out how to cope with the vast disparities between his two boys.
This could come off as some sort of Rain Man knock off in done wrong, but Berg has found success with Bissinger before so there's reason for optimism. The film doesn't have a studio yet, although Universal looks to be edging closer to picking it up.
