Ann Peacock is the screenwriter responsible for foisting Nights in Rodanthe upon the world, so I'm not inclined to look forward to anything she has to offer. But something feels delightfully retro about adapting a John Grisham legal thriller, 10 years after the trend passed and even 10 years after the book itself was written. The Hollywood Reporter says Peacock will be adapting The Partner, which means that weepy Richard Gere and Diane Lane are out, and banging gavels are in!
The plot sounds like a combination of the John Grisham usual and something a little more unusual. The main character is a lawyer who stages his own death after stealing $90 million from his firm, and actually gets away with it-- for a little while. Apparently a murder charge has a way of ending one's illegally obtained early retirement. I'll give Peacock credit for faithfully adapting the Nicholas Sparks novel that Nights in Rodanthe started as, which means she might be able to do justice to a decent Grisham story too. After all, it's been a while since we've seen some conflicted lawyers in movie, and aren't you ready for a little 90s nostalgia anyway?
