Vera Farmiga Among Fivesome Grazing with ‘Goats’

Vera Farmiga, David Duchovny, Keri Russell, Minnie Driver and Will Arnett have filled up the adults portion of the casting process for Goats, the screen adaptation of Mark Poirier’s novel. Graham Phillips who is unknown in these circles appears already set in the lead teenage protag role and Ty Burrell is also on board.

Gist: From the book jacket….Ellis is fourteen. His parents have split up – Mom’s gone New Age in Tucson with some asshole abstract artist; and Dad – Fucker Frank, is sporting nerdy glasses and retailing Mexican knick-knacks to Washington wannabes. Ellis is about to start at a squaresville boarding-school. It’s your standard dysfunctional family thing … Except that Ellis has been hitting the bong since he was eleven, has a goat-man for a guru, and a weed-wisdom beyond his years. Goats is an extra-mellow coming-of-age tale – quirky, touching and very funny. It’s about growing up and getting your shit together.

Worth Noting: First time helmer Christopher Neil’s credits in the business come as an acting coach most notably for his family, the Coppolas (three Sofia films including, Somewhere) and most recently for Mike Mills’ Beginners he was a rehearsal advisor.

Do We Care?: We’re always down for indie, coming-of-age Sundance-like comedies and/or dramedies where the central character lives among adults a la Thumbsucker and this project fits that bill. Casting looks decent but all hinges on Phillips and the film’s tone.