Ron Howard to Direct My Stroke of Insight, Wants Jodie Foster« FirstShowing.net

Although I don't have many good things to say about his newest film,The Dilemma(watch the trailer), I still considerRon Howarda very talented director, he just needs the right kind of non-comedy projects to work on.Deadlinesays he may have a new one lined up followingThe Dilemma(andThe Dark Tower) that's an adaptation of brain scientist Jill Bolte Taylor's memoirMy Stroke of Insight. Sony Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, including Brian Grazer, are teaming up to produce, withSemi Chellas("The Eleventh Hour") writing the script. And apparently Howard wantsJodie Fosterto star, but she's not officially attached yet.

My Stroke of Insight, published in '07, deals with the complexities of the human mind. In 1996, the 37-year old Taylor suffered a massive stroke caused by a blood vessel that exploded in the left side of her brain. A Harvard-trainedneuroanatomist, Taylor's brain function deteriorated in a matter or hours to where she couldn't walk, read or write, or recall past memories. It took 8 years for her to mend. Her knowledge of how the brain works gave her the opportunity to experience and write about brain recovery that became at times even mystical, as the right half compensated for the damaged left half and infused her with feelings of peace and well-being that she has tried to retain, even after reclaiming her life and standing in the scientific world.

Obviously comparisons can be made to Howard'sA Beautiful Mind, which I think is far and away one of the best movies he's ever directed. However, it seems like this will present a much different but still very unique filmmaking challenge, almost similar toThe Diving Bell and the Butterflymore than anything. Don't forget that Ron Howard is still set to start on his adaptation ofStephen King'sThe Dark Towerseries, so I imagine that will come first before he gets toMy Stroke of Insight, but I'm sure this will be coming soon. If you want to hear more about this rather fascinating story, you can watchJill Bolte Taylor's TED videoonline as well.

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