Randall Silvis is the internationally acclaimed author of over a dozen novels, one story collection, and one book of narrative nonfiction. Also a prize-winning playwright, a produced screenwriter, and a prolific essayist, he has been published and produced in virtually every field and genre of creative writing.Here Silvis dreamcasts an adaptation of his new psychological suspense novel, Only the Rain:
For the film version of Only the Rain, I would cast Ryan Gosling in the lead. I suspect that Gosling is an intelligent individual, but that deadpan, pensive look of his could also convey confusion, uncertainty, and regret—qualities in full flower in the novel’s protagonist, Russell, a man who, while suffering from PTSD, struggles to do what’s best for his family, even if it means breaking the law.Learn more about the book and author at Randall Silvis's website.
Two other males play pivotal roles in the novel: Pops, who is Russell’s grandfather and mentor, and Phil McClaine, the antagonist. When I envision Pops, a veteran of bloody Hamburger Hill, I see someone like Ed Harris, a man with great affability but who is also tough and tenacious when the chips are down—someone who, despite his age, would still be a match for bad guy Phil.
Ralph Fiennes and Mark Strong are both capable of projecting the necessary aura of malice that surrounds meth cook Phil McClaine, but Gary Oldman would be my pick thanks to the easy, ominous smirk he pairs with those chilling blue eyes. Oldman is famous for his “big” acting style, but imagine him with every move and every word restrained, every subtle gesture rife with sinister subtext. Neither Oldman nor McClaine is a big man, but both possess an intimidating presence.
As an Amazon First Reads pick for December 2017, the digital version of Only the Rain has already been downloaded over 100,000 times. Here’s hoping that one of those copies finds its way onto a Hollywood producer’s e-reader.
My Book, The Movie: The Boy Who Shoots Crows.
--Marshal Zeringue
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