Ever since his defining performance in Martin Scorseses Goodfellas -
Ray Liotta has struggled to emulate the renown he garnered three decades ago, his stock dropping annually by accepting roles in a number of critical and commercial failures. But as of late, he has enjoyed something of a career renaissance as a comedy actor and the 56 year old has once again found himself in demand, and he must be delighted to continue this recovery by
securing a part in the next Andrew Dominik film,
Cogans Trade. The terrifically exciting caper comedy is an adaptation of George V. Higgins' same titled pulp novel and it will reunite The Assassination of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, with the main players of that movie Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Sam Rockwell and of course, composer Nick Cave. Also on board the stunning ensemble are Richard Jenkins, Bella Heathcote and in a Soprano's reunion, James Gandolfini and Vincent Curatola. Though it's looking unlikely that the previously rumoured trio Mark Ruffalo, Bill Murray and Javier Bardem will end up in the film. Filming on Cogans Trade begins in a few weeks in New Orleans, Louisiana (a change from the Boston setting from the novel), with Brad Pitt leading as Jackie Cogan, an enforcer investigating the robbery of a high stakes poker game (led by Liotta's character -the hustler Mark Markie Trattman) protected by the mob. The movie is said to be a more serious version of Ocean's Eleven. Higgins is an unfortunately little known name outside of the United States, but is known for is nourish/pulpish thrillers characterised by their dark humour and streams of faux-Joycian dialogue.
Dominik has had a demonstrably impressive start to his career in feature films. The New Zealand born Australian was impressive in his debut- the darkly comic Chopper- before displaying impressive range with the studied and under-appreciated The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. This was Dominiks last stint behind the camera, although he since penned a draft for the deeply controversial Michael Winterbottom film The Killer Inside Me- though this was eventually shelved for an adaptation by John Curran- so he will be keen to take his place in the directors chair once again. The Weinsteins will release Cogan's Trade early in 2012. Dominik has a reputation for taking his time, and in spite of the demands that will surely be made on the time of the cast, seems unlikely to be rushed on this occasion. However, if his work thus far is any indicator, it will be worth the wait.