"Author Lee Child Answers: Can Tom Cruise Really Play 6-Foot?"

Author Lee Child Answers: Can Tom Cruise Really Play 6-Foot-5? : Monkey See : NPR

 

Tom Cruise as the title character in the upcoming film, Jack Reacher, based on the character created by Lee Child.

 You may know that Lee Child writes the best-selling Jack Reacher series, about a tough guy ex-cop. You may also know that Jack Reacher fans are not happy about Tom Cruise (believed to be something less than 6'5") being cast as their 6'5", 250-pound hero. (Typical reaction to the trailer, out this week: "Tom Cruise could play Reacher's 'mini-me.")

Lee Child hemmed and hawed a bit when asked to comment – "Honestly, I'm incredibly thrilled and grateful that anyone has an opinion at all" – but then he cut to the chase.
"Okay, he doesn't look exactly right," Child finally admitted. "But he sure does act like Reacher." He went on to say that demand is only one side of the equation. There's also supply to consider. "People are acting as if we marched past vast legions of 6'5", 250-pound actors," he says. "Nobody looks like that in Hollywood."

Comment....I have read all of Lee Child's Jack Reacher books and the ex-military policeman is one tough guy. I get the impression from reading the stories, that to do what he does he needs to be a big intimating guy. But if Hollywood can make a super hero out of a mouse they can do wonders a little Tommy Cruise...  Click the link for the trailer video...     

"Dennis Lehane"

Every once and a while I write a book report and this my contribution for this month…..I have just finished reading Mr. Lehane’s new book “Moonlight Mile”. Well, let me tell you, it’s definitely not a “Shutter Island” or “Mystic River”, that’s for sure. Sometimes I wonder if gifted author’s like Lehane will ever come back to their true form. Granted, the other books were what I would consider masterpieces but it seems that once these guys write a great book or two they lose something. Maybe its because the books are made into movies. I don’t know? Mr. Lehane is not alone when it comes to being stagnant. The others are, Paterson, Stanford and Flynn. Something is missing with the books they write today. They have become predictable and boring. Maybe they just write pulp fiction now. A lot of meaningless words, just enough to be able to put the book out there quicker than the next guy. This is what it has become. There are those who are consistently producing good material and taking their time between books. They are James Lee Burke, Wally Lamb and a few others. I recently discovered Pete Hamill. He has been writing books for years and his tales of New York are extraordinary. Lee Child is another good one and he sticks with one character. When you start reading, you are there with “Jack Reacher” till the end. At least you know what you are in for..There was a time when I looked forward to reading, or in my case listening to a book on CD by these guys but now I search for fresh talent. Or old talent as the case may be. Lahane’s new one, “Moonlight Mile” is disappointing to say the least. I did finish it but what can say and that’s a good thing. He needs to go back to the drawing board or go back to Boston where he belongs, then maybe he will be so inspired…