Cate Blanchet in 2013’s ‘Blue Jasmine’

Cate Blanchett is well known as an actress for her roles in films such as The Lord of the Rings, The Aviator, Babel and most recently Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine. While she has made a name for herself in front of the camera, she will try to carry that magic behind it when she directs the upcoming thriller The Dinner.

The film is an adaptation of Herman Koch’s novel by the same name, which was published in Holland in 2009 and became a European best seller. The story centers on two families, each with a 15 year old son. The two boys have committed a terrible crime and the families have met for dinner to determine their course of action. The story is revealed a little at a time over the duration of the dinner.

Since the entire story takes place during a meal, Blanchett will have to decide how to keep the viewer interested with a seeming lack of physical action. The written word lends itself to the discussion of several controversial issues, and while Koch allows the reader to be privy to a character’s thoughts this is harder to accomplish in the film medium. If Blanchett’s acting career is any indication it is a good bet that she will have the tact and subtlety to bring this story to the screen.

Oren Moverman (The Messenger, Rampart) will adapt the script from Koch’s novel and Cotty Chubb will produce the film.