After Stephen Chbosky received critical raves and awards consideration (though tragically no major nominations) for directing the stellar film adaptation of his landmark novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower, it’s easy to understand why he’s eager to continue working behind the camera in Hollywood. Today, Deadline announced that Chbosky’s next gig will be helming an adaptation of Adena Halpern’s 29: A Novel, currently titled While We’re Young. Emma Watson, who earned a People’s Choice Award for her lead role as Sam in The Perks of Being a Wallflower, is currently attached as one of the film’s two leads.
While We’re Young centers on restless, 75-year-old Ellie, who gets the chance to be 29 again for one day after a wistful birthday wish inexplicably comes true. Hoping to experience the life of a younger woman once more, she chooses to go on an adventure with her 29-year old granddaughter Lucy, with whom she feels she has much more in common than she does with her dull 55-year old daughter Barbara.
Michael H. Weber & Scott Neustadter, who previously wrote the screenplays for acclaimed romantic dramas (500) Days of Summer and The Spectacular Now, penned the adaptation, so my expectations for While We’re Young are quite high.
While the story that While We’re Young tells is far from original, it has been a while since audiences have seen a new, female take on the ‘body-swap’ plot point – the most recent entries in that subgenre that come to mind are two male-led comedies, 17 Again and The Change-Up. Though neither of those films connected with critics, the potential for While We’re Young to be great seems much higher. Chbosky showed an undeniable talent behind the camera on The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Watson has yet to pick a bad post-Potter role.
Although it’s as of yet unclear whether Watson will be playing Lucy or Ellie (once she suddenly regresses to 29), Chbosky and Watson working together again definitely makes this movie one to watch.
Are you excited for While We’re Young? Who would you cast in the roles of Barbara and 75-year-old Ellie? Let us know in the comments section.