Wes Anderson Finds New ‘Best Friend’ With French Remake

Posted by Rob Hunter (rob@filmschoolrejects.com) on September 10, 2008

Wes Anderson may be stepping out of his own idiosyncratic and quirky world for only the second time in his career.  The director of excellent films like The Royal Tenenbaums, Rushmore, and Bottle Rocket almost always directs from his own material.  His first exception to the rule was the recently completed animated film, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, based on the Roald Dahl novel.  Now it appears he’s moving outside his own head for a second time as Variety reports he has signed to write and possibly direct a remake of the recent French film, Mon meilleur ami.

My Best Friend is a French comedy starring Daniel Auteuil (Cache) as a cranky antiques dealer who discovers one day that his rudeness and selfishness have left him friendless.  Determined to prove to co-workers and acquaintances that he does in fact have a friend, and with an expensive wager as motivation, the dealer finds a cab driver to act the role.  French hilarity ensues.

Although this film won’t be springing entirely from Anderson’s mind, I fully expect him to cast Bill Murray as the grumpy, old, antiques dealer.  And that’s okay.

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