For some time now there has been buzz about Kevin Smith’s post Red State project, Hit Somebody. Based on a Warren Zevon song about a hockey goon who wants to score a goal, Hit Somebody seems to be a natural fit for a director who loves the Greatest Show On Ice. But in a surprising twist, Bleeding Cool and NHL.com have reported that Kevin Smith may actually publish the script before the movie is released. On the one hand, it is a great way to make Smithheads salivate over the next offering, but it could spell trouble for on-the-fencers who might read the script and bolt. Between this news and his podcasts, Smith’s attempt at fan relations may look more like a Green Men incident than a civil back-and-forth. I for one don’t hold out much hope for the film, knowing that A) Clerks was miles better than Clerks 2 and B) it’s really, really hard to make good, funny sports movies.
Mister Smith’s track record has been spotty, mixing early success with recent snoozers. Rumor has it Ben Affleck and Matt Damon may don some Bruins gold and black in the film, but this may not be enough to carry the project. You have to hand it to the man though, he is trying a lot of different things, between horror films, cop flicks, and religious treatise, it’s apparent he has some restlessness that prohibits him from staying with any one idea. Rather, he skates around like a hockey enforcer, seeking out opponents and “givin’ ’em the business”. And for the record, I’m taking the Canucks in 5.
