Wim Wenders hasn’t had the greatest time of it recently.
While fellow Deutch filmmaker Werner Herzog (with whom I identify Wenders,
though they couldn’t be less alike; I’m evidently a culturalist) is experiencing a small renassance, Wenders
has experienced trouble getting his stuff seen. Maybe it’s the association with
U2, or the fact that he followed Buena Vista Social Club with the dodgy Million
Dollar Hotel.

But hey, Land of Plenty wasn’t bad and it can barely even be
found on DVD. That one even had a neat backstory: shot in 16 days on a
miniscule budget, with all participants (producers and directors included) paid
only $100 a day, the idea being that money would be paid out on an equal share
basis if it came in. It didn’t.

Which hasn’t stopped Wenders, who is reuniting with Land
scribe Michael Meredith. This time, Meredith will direct in addition to
writing, with Wenders in the producer’s chair. The film is a road movie of
sorts, in which a young man and his girlfriend go for a drive with the guy’s
baseball legend father. Meredith is himself the son of a sports star (Don
Meredith) so he’s probably got some of that, whattayacall, realistic
perspective.