There might have been better-crafted, more nuanced comedies in the last few years than Adam McKay's "Step Brothers," but we're not sure there's one we've rewatched more. Second only to the director's "Anchorman" for sheer density of laughs, it's become a frequent inhabitant of our DVD player, if only for a few scenes at a time. Rumors of a sequel continue to circulate, but in the meantime, it looks as if the film might have found a spiritual successor with two of the film's MVPs reuniting for a similarly-themed comedy.
Adam Scott, who went from prickish yuppie younger brother Derek in "Step Brothers" to warming hearts and tickling funny bones in "Party Down" and "Parks and Recreation," signed earlier in the year to "A.C.O.D. (Adult Children of Divorce)," a comedy from "The Daily Show" writer/producer Ben Karlin, which will be directed by TV veteran Stuart Zicherman. The story centers on a young man still caught between his feuding parents and forced to bring them together again when his brother gets engaged, and according to Deadline, Scott's bringing along his "Step Brothers" step-dad, Richard Jenkins.
One of our absolute favorite character actors, Jenkins has become something of a secret comedic weapon of late, in films from "Burn After Reading" to "Hall Pass," and is invariably the best thing in them. Jenkins will play the father, Hugh, who's got two younger kids as well, and it's a pretty great bit of casting.
We were fans of the script (which is a little more grounded than "Step Brothers," for the record), so this is certainly a comedy to keep an eye on. Black Bear Pictures ("Broken City," Ramin Bahrani's untitled latest) are producing, and filming will get underway in March once Scott has wrapped on the fourth season of "Parks and Recreation."