Samuel L. Jackson signs for "Rape: A Love Story"

It’s hard to think about the words "rape" and "love story" together in a title, but here it is. Samuel L. Jackson has just signed to star in "Rape: A Love Story," an independent drama also starring Abigail Breslin and Maria Bello.

Jackson will play a sympathetic cop who offers kindness and comfort to Bello’s character and her daughter (Breslin), following a brutal gang rape. These are the kinds of movies that are often thoughtful and insightful, but that I usually decide to skip, lest I’m depressed for days afterwards!

I lamented a few days ago that maybe Jackson wouldn’t have time to do these sorts of films, since he just signed a nine-movie deal playing Marvel’s Nick Fury. Now I wonder if that deal will free him up to do smaller films like this, that might not have the wide coverage of the big blockbusters.

Adapted from Joyce Carol Oates‘ 2003 book, "Rape: A Love Story" is directed by Harold Becker and scheduled to begin filming in June.

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