I have been waiting patiently for Max Barry’s novels to make their way to the big screen, but SYRUP was not the one I thought would get made first.
Barry is an excellent Australian author who has penned four novels: SYRUP, COMPANY, MACHINE MAN, and JENNIFER GOVERNMENT. JENNIFER GOVERNMENT is my personal favorite and it was well on the way to being filmed when things fell through with George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh’s old productions company, Section Eight Productions.
That is not to say that SYRUP is not a great read. The novel follows a young marketing executive named Scat who creates a new product for Coca-Cola called “Fukk”. Things go awry with his nemesis, Sneaky Pete, which leads Scat to meet the sensual Cindy. Things escalate as Scat begins his plan for revenge on Sneaky Pete.
The book is a darkly comic look at the world of business and advertising. The best comparison I can make is to say it is a lot like OFFICE SPACE if it were written by Chuck Palahniuk (FIGHT CLUB). I highly recommend reading all of Barry’s novels.
This trailer seems to be in the unfinished stages. The film stars Kellen Lutz, Amber Heard, and Shiloh Fernandez. The screenplay was written by Barry himself. I doubt that Coca-Cola allowed their name to be used in the movie, especially one that appears low budget. But, definitely one to keep on your radar.
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