The Rebel Kind is a film that’s being adapted from a memoir written by John Armstrong, better known as “Buck Cherry”. Buck was most famous for being the frontman for “The Modernettes”, a Vancouver-based band. Variety has reported that Jay Baruchel has decided to take on the role of the rock superstar with the film planning to start shooting in Vancouver next fall.
Jay has played in quite a few movies and shows such as Almost Famous (2000) and Million Dollar Baby (2004). He has also starred in many comedies like Knocked Up and Tropic Thunder. Jay is mostly known for his nerdy roles, but in The Rebel Kind, he is going to be portraying a full-blown rock star. It’ll be interesting to see how he handles the role.
Variety had to say this about the project:
“chronicles the emergence of the city’s punk-rock scene via a successful band that throws in the towel, realizing the deep cost of pursuing superstardom.”
Reg Harkema wrote the script for the film and will direct it as well. Patrick Carroll, Andria Spring and Kevin Eastwood are attached to produce via Eastwood’s Optic Nerve Films.
The memoir written by Buck is called, Guilty Of Everything, and you can read the official description of the memoir below:
Cultural Writing. Memoir. Music. 1978: the first shock of punk hits Vancouver, and John Armstrong is at the center of the maelstrom. As Buck Cherry, lead singer/ guitarist for the Modernettes, Armstrong met and made music with I Braineater, Joey Shithead, Dimwit, Chuck Biscuits, Mary Jo Kopechne, Art Bergmann, and other punk luminaries. His account of drug-addled, booze-soaked days and nights with Los Popularos, DOA, the Subhumans, and the Modernettes brings this anarchic era to life. “It’s a fluke of history that someone who writes as well as John Armstrong would have been at the very heart of the original Vancouver punk scene. Little did they know that Armstrong, aka Buck Cherry, would be their recording angel, but he was and here it all is: from White Rock to the back of the Smilin’ Buddha and beyond. Very few recollections of a life lived in rock are this honest, or this funny”–William Gibson.
The movie isn’t a HUGE project, budgeting at roughly $5 million. But a somewhat small budget doesn’t mean that the movie will be bad. (Paranormal Activity for example…) With a solid story and some good acting, this movie could easily become a fan favorite. Although it’ll be awhile before we can decide anything. Jay has a movie releasing in March called Goon and another project he’s working on titled Jay and Seth Vs. The Apocalypse. (Which will most likely be hilarious.)