Jane Heller

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

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Movie Night: "Arbitrage"

September 15, 2012

I was really looking forward to this one for a few reasons. First, there was the cast; how can you go wrong with Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Brit Marling and Tim Roth? Then, there was the subject; no car chases, no vampires, no explosions but rather a morality play about a one-percenter whose manipulations are about to do him in. And finally, there was the producer, Laura Bickford, who has been my champion at Fox where “An Ex to Grind” is still in development; she loved the novel and has fought for it at the studio so it was only natural that I’d root for her newest project.

That said, I liked “Arbitrage” a lot. It’s not quite as riveting as “Wall Street,” maybe because we’re jaded by all the Bernie Madoff/Gordon Gekko-type swindlers at this point. But it’s a slick, sophisticated, grownup piece of entertainment that not only looks great but features a snappy script and wonderful performances, especially by Richard Gere.

http://youtu.be/9AUeXnFm_Xg

Gere manages to make us actually root for him, even though he’s a snake. He’s a snake who says “I’m sorry” to people. He shows remorse. But he’s motivated by money and power to the core, and those who love him have to play by his rules or else. He’s a handsome, silver-haired stud and you can’t look away whenever he’s in a scene, which is most of the time. He commands your attention the way true movie stars do. I don’t know if he’ll get an Oscar nod for Best Actor, because there are so many contenders this year, but he should certainly be in the mix.

 

Filed Under: Mainly Jane, Movies Tagged With: An Ex to Grind, Arbitrage, Brit Marling, Laura Bickford, Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth

Off-Day Fodder

April 26, 2012

I was on Twitter this morning when a Tweet from People.com with a link caught my eye: “Alex Rodriquez opens up about Cameron Diaz.”

Okay, I was hooked. I clicked on the link and here’s what I got.

Alex Rodriguez on Ex Cameron Diaz: She’s ‘One of the Greatest Human Beings I’ve Ever Met’

Thursday April 26, 2012 05:00 PM EDT

Alex Rodriguez on Ex Cameron Diaz: She's 'One of the Greatest Human Beings I've Ever Met' | Alex Rodriguez, Cameron Diaz

Splash News Online; Jeff Vespa/Getty

They have have broken up – but clearly Alex Rodriguez harbors no hard feelings toward Cameron Diaz.

“I don’t like talking about my relationships,” the New York Yankee tells The Insider in a new interview, “but I will tell you about C.D. – she’s probably one of the greatest human beings I’ve ever met, and just an amazing light.”

The two had an on-again, off-again relationship, though a source confirmed to PEOPLE the two had split for good in September 2011.

At the time, Rodriguez had equally kind words for Diaz, telling PEOPLE, “I have a lot of love for Cameron. We’ll always be friends.”

And the two have subsequently moved on: Diaz has been linked with Diddy, while Rodriguez has been spotted smooching former wrestling diva Torrie Wilson.

As for people gossiping about his personal life – or his athletic abilities, for that matter – Rodriguez tells The Insider, he’s not fazed.

“Ah, you know, it’s New York,” he says, “people are always going to have an opinion [with] pretty much anything you do, both on and off the field.”

First of all, I wouldn’t exactly call A-Rod’s quotes “opening up.” It was more like he gave the interviewer a couple of soundbites. But whatever. I think it’s hilarious that he refers to her by her initials. I wonder if she calls him A.R.

Mostly, I just want her to star in “An Ex to Grind,” the novel of mine that’s in development for a feature at Fox with her attached to play my heroine, Melanie Banks. I found out recently that the producers have moved on from the script by Jeremy Garelick (“The Break-Up,” “The Hangover”) and are looking to hire a new screenwriter. That’s Hollywood.

In other show biz news, CC is on Jimmy Fallon’s show tonight. If anybody watches it, tell me how he was.

Congrats to YankeeCase and Diane and any other NY Rangers fans reading this. I was out for dinner and kept checking the score of the game and was so happy that the good guys won and will now move on to the next round. Nothing more exciting than playoff sports.

 

Filed Under: Confessions of a She-Fan Tagged With: A-Rod, An Ex to Grind, Cameron Diaz, FOX, hockey, New York Rangers, Yankees

A Tiny Update on "An Ex to Grind"

April 11, 2011

"An Ex to Grind"

No, the movie isn’t coming out tomorrow or even soon (if ever). But there was a little progress. One of the producers told me that Jeremy Garelick, the screenwriter, turned in a revised draft of the script and that it was “very good.” She also said it’s quite different from the book. I always expected that to happen, but now I’m eager to find out exactly how Garelick deviated from the story. The producer said she’d let me know what the next step will be and when I can read the script. I’m dying to get a look at it. Dying to.

 

Filed Under: Mainly Jane, Movie deals, Movies Tagged With: An Ex to Grind, FOX, Jeremy Garelick, Julie Yorn, Laura Bickford

Will A-Rod Propose To Cameron Diaz?

February 1, 2011

(courtesy: justfab.com)

According to someone named Terez Owens, the couple just returned from Paris and they’re now house-hunting in Miami AND he plans to propose to her on Valentine’s day. I say it’s a bunch of hooey. A-Rod always goes house-hunting with his girlfriends. (Remember the apartment searches with Madonna?) Not happening. Besides, Cameron’s too busy. She’s attached to star in the movie version of my book “An Ex to Grind” and is probably sitting around by herself reading and re-reading the novel 24/7.

(courtesy: olaughingpress.com)

The larger question is why would any woman want to marry a professional baseball player? When I was in high school, I thought that being Mrs. Yankee would be the most glamorous, exciting, dreamy thing that could possibly happen. Not anymore. I traveled with the team in 2007 for the She-Fan book. I saw the skanky-looking women lining up at the hotels after night games, dying to jump into bed with the players. Infidelity on the road is a fact of life.

Are there advantages to being Mrs. Yankee? Sure.

Financial security.

Health insurance.

Opportunity to start a charitable organization.

A table at the best restaurants.

A chance to meet icons like Yogi.

Free tickets to the games.

But how about the cons of marriage to an active player?

He’s gone from February to November.

It’s lonely.

You’re raising the kids by yourself.

You’re always wondering where he is when his phone is turned off.

You have to get to know each all over again when he comes home.

Doesn’t sound like much fun to me, despite the perks. On the other hand, if A-Rod and “Cam” really, truly love each other…..Okay, I can’t even type that. It’s not happening, I’m telling you.

Filed Under: Confessions of a She-Fan Tagged With: A-Rod, An Ex to Grind, baseball groupies, Cameron Diaz, Yankees

Waiting and Hoping

January 21, 2011

Last year I posted the exciting news on the web site that An Ex to Grind had been optioned by Fox for a feature film.

"An Ex to Grind"

To be produced by Laura Bickford (“Duplicity”) and Julie Yorn (“Bride Wars”), the movie was packaged with Cameron Diaz and Benecio Del Toro attached to play bickering exes Melanie and Dan. What I’ve since learned is that Fox hired red-hot screenwriter Jeremy Garelick to adapt the novel. Who’s he? For starters, he wrote the script for the Vince Vaughn-Jennifer Aniston comedy “The Break-Up.” But he also was the uncredited scribe of the biggest comedy of 2009, “The Hangover.”

The last I heard he was supposed to deliver his “Ex to Grind” script by Christmas, but maybe he’s still working on it. All I know is I hope it’s good and I hope Fox likes it and I hope….Well, you know what I hope. I want one of my books on the big screen already!

Filed Under: Mainly Jane, Movie deals Tagged With: 20th Century Fox, An Ex to Grind, Benecio Del Toro, Bride Wars, Cameron Diaz, Duplicity, Jeremy Garelick, Julie Yorn, Laura Bickford

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About Jane Heller

Jane Heller is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Her fourteen breezy, witty novels of romantic comedy and suspense are now entertaining millions of readers around the world, along with her two books of nonfiction.

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