I figured I’d add the “Clive” part to the headline, lest you think I was talking about Chris “The Shermanator” Owen.

Oscar nominee Viola Davis (Doubt) will join Catherine Keener and Clive Owen in the David Schwimmer directed Trust.  She also signed on to be with Zach Galifianakis for a project called It’s Kind Of A Funny Story.

Davis gained critical acclaimed for her performance in Doubt, which earned a best supporting actress nomination in 2008.  She is also currently co-starring in Law Abiding Citizen with Jamie Foxx and Gerald Butler.

“Variety” says “‘Funny Story’ centers on a clinically depressed 15-year-old who checks himself into an adult psychiatric ward where he gains a new lease on life. Davis will play the psychiatrist who helps him understand his anxieties and provides him with the help he needs.”

“‘Trust’ revolves around a family who must deal with the ramifications after their 14-year-old daughter is victimized by an adult who gained her trust posing as a teenager on a chat room. Davis will play the counselor assigned to the girl’s case.”

I haven’t seen Doubt yet, but I’ve heard Davis was terrific in it. I though she was good in Disturbia, despite being limited to a very supporting role. Last week, we wrote about Clive Owen and Catherine Keener joining Schwimmer for Trust and now with Davis joining, this looks to be a film you can’t ignore. I’m also glad to see Davis branching out and doing an arty/indie type movie with Galifianakis in Funny Story.

According to a report from “Variety,” Clive Owen (Children of Men) and Oscar nominee Catherine Keener (Capote) are teaming up with director David Schwimmer, for Trust.

Schwimmer is famous for playing Ross from TV’s “Friends,” but after a dearth of film roles, he’s chosen to occupy the director’s chair. So far, he has the Simon Pegg-starring Run Fatboy Run to his directorial credit. “Variety” says Trust will be “a dark drama about the damaging effects an online sexual predator has on a family…Owen and Keener will play the parents of a 14-year-old girl who are stunned to discover she has been victimized by an adult who gained her trust posing as a teenager on a chat room. Newcomer Liana Liberato will play the daughter.” It will be produced by Avi Lerner and shooting will begin in Michigan on Nov. 9

A movie dealing with sexual predators is always a tough subject. Since it features Owen and Keener, it should be pretty great, despite the dark subject matter. Schwimmer was part of one of my all-time favorite sitcoms and I certainly enjoyed other stuff he has been in.  I was aware that he did go into directing (with occansional acting performances), but I haven’t seen any of his directoral work, unless you count some episodes of “Friends” (which isn’t much). This plotline and the actor/director remind me a bit of Ben Affleck’s Gone Baby Gone, which if close to as good will be a treat.

Watch this quick scene from Owen’s appearance in Ricky Gervais’ “Extras.” The word “brilliant” comes to mind:

We have heard the rumors for a while, the possibility of a “Friends” (NBC’s hit TV show) movie happening for the big screen.  After the “Sex And The City” cast denied for years of a movie’s improbability, that finally came to fruition and cleaned house at the box office last year, which ultimately led to a sequel and more hype about other successful TV shows making the transition.  Hence we are left with a update from one of the biggest cast members from “Friends”, Central Perk’s Gunther.  No, while he’s not even technically a key ‘friend’, he still claims to drop some insider knowledge about the project’s likelihood.  James Michael Tyler hits us with this via NewsOfTheWorld:

“‘Friends: The Movie’ is definitely on,” he said. “I still keep in touch with a lot of the cast and they say that they are really keen. I am definitely on board to do the film. I really loved my time on the show and I am looking forward to meeting up with the old gang again. I just hope we can do justice to the show in a film.“

A ringing endorsement to be sure.  I am sure he is tight with all of the main cast members, such as Jennifer Aniston (whose love life is leading to her remaining in the spotlight), Matthew Perry (whose isn’t), Lisa Kudrow, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc (ditto for them), and Courtney Cox who now routinely appears half-dressed in “Cougar Town” for ABC.  Nary a word from them recently, outside of Aniston’s supposed waffling on the likelihood of the project in the past.  The script is supposedly being written while the the cast is still bathing in their money from the show.  Rumor has it Schwimmer uses c-notes as toilet paper.  With this news, I am sure we can all mark it down on our calendars and prepare for the sitcom madness to make it to the big screen.  I wonder if it will have a situation where one of them dates another?  Just a thought for a novel Hollywood concept.

I would guess that Gunther and crew could all use the work, save for two of the leading ladies I suppose, so it probably wouldn’t be too difficult to convince them to do it (as long as they all made the same amount of money to do it).  I don’t know about all of this, not really looking forward to it if it were to happen, but legions of women and sissy men would.  What are your thoughts? I am out like “Smelly Cat.”