Philip Seymour Hoffman to Make Directorial Debut

Published by Jeff Leins on January 16, 2009

Philip Seymour Hoffman has selected to his directorial debut, a stage-to-screen adaptation of the off-Broadway production Jack Goes Boating.

PSH will co-star alongside great actress Amy Ryan while he tries his hand at directing. Hoffman will play Jack, a New York limo driver with an affinity for all things Rastafarian (marijuana, reggae music, and a poor attempt at dreadlocks).  Ryan will play his new girlfriend Connie, also a stoner and a chatty embalmer’s assistant.

Hoffman starred in the stage production when it opened in March 2007 to solid reviews. This will be the first movie to spawn from a deal inked between his production company (Cooper’s Town) and Overture Films.

I’m extremely excited to see what PSH will do behind the camera. He’s one of the best actors working today and Amy Ryan is an extremely talented actress. It will be interesting to see what he puts on film after all his experience being in them.

The small film will shoot in New York City starting February 9.