James Franco and The Adderall Diaries

ONE of the best and most unpredictable memoirs I've read in years is The Adderall Diaries, which is a weird hybrid of a murder trial, S&M chronicle, and document of drug abuse. I just bumped into its author, Stephen Elliott, who is a far more level guy than you'd expect given that previous description, at the local coffee shop. Elliott, who's an editor at the excellent literary site The Rumpus, is in town for a reading of an anthology of Rumpus Women: Personal Essays By Women Tuesday night at the Traveler's Bookshelf on 3rd St. (He tells me the event will include a brief performance by Jill Sobule.)

Anyway, Elliott mentioned that actor James Franco -- who I will always think of as the tough kid from Freaks and Geeks despite his more high profile appearances -- has optioned the book for film adaptation. (Franco, tentatively, will both direct and appear in the film.)

I met Elliott in LA last year to discuss his memoir -- HERE is the ensuing LA Times piece.

The author enjoyed working with Franco, who is course a writer himself and has a recent book of deadpan short stories that have gotten mixed reviews. "He's making a serious attempt to be an artist," Elliott says. "Which is all you can do. There's an integrity to him."

Elliott adapted the script -- calling it "the easiest thing I've ever done." He's hot to write more scripts now.

All kinds of things get optioned and never see daylight, but we're optimistic about Franco these days. We'll keep our eye on this one.