Will Smith boosts his IQ with Flowers for Algernon

12 November 2009

John Howell

Will Smith will star in a modern day adaptation of Daniel Keyes' classic science fiction novel, Flowers for Algernon. The novel tells the moving story of Charlie, a man with an abnormally low IQ who undergoes experimental surgery to boost his intelligence. Charlie narrates his tale in a series of progress reports to the doctors who have performed the procedure, documenting and reflecting on his transformation from someone with a low IQ to genius level and beyond.

Flowers for Algernon was originally a short story in 1958, first published in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. It won the Hugo Award for Best Short Story in 1960. The novel that followed the short story was a joint winner of the Nebula Award for Best Novel along with Babel-17.

Flowers for Algernon includes flashbacks to Charlie's childhood, a dash of romance, some wry humour, and deals with the sensitive issue of how the mentally ill are treated in society. "Algeron" from the story's title is actually a lab mouse that is experimented on first.

I can see why Smith would be attracted to such a project. The transformation Charlie makes will give him plenty of room to flex his acting muscles, and in contrast to recent big budget special effects movies such as I am Legend and Handcock, it's likely to place his acting skills front and centre. It's doubtful there will be much room for special effects. He may have been  influenced by the book's adaptation history too: Cliff Robertson won an Oscar for another adaptation titled Charly back in 1968.

Smith is working with Sony on the picture and Tracy Nyberg, who worked with him on I Am Legend and Hancock, will co-produce.

Flowers for Algernon should be one to watch out for.

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