By Russ Fischer/Nov. 16, 2009 10:27 am EST

The Playlist got a copy of the script and runs down some of the differences between it and the original film. The French My Best Friend is a comic meditation on the nature of friendship. It follows François (Daniel Auteuil), an arrogant and unpleasant antique dealer who was challenged by his business partner, Catherine (Julie Gayet), to produce his best friend (not believing that he had one). If he succeeds, he will be able to retain possession of a valuable Greek vase he purchased using company money. François sets out to look for a best friend and finds Bruno (Dany Boon), a gregarious cabbie, who will hopefully help him win the bet.

In Anderson’s version, transplanted to New York, the primary character is Nicolas, an art dealer. The plot is kicked into motion by rival art dealer Lucinda, and Bruno becomes a Polish cab driver named Zbigniew. (The Playlist notes that George Clooney seems like a lock for Nicolas, that Angelica Huston or Meryl Streep would be ideal Lucindas, and that Adrien Brody could be Zbigniew. For the latter, I’m envisioning Eugene Hutz, were it not for his similar role in Everything is Illuminated.)

Rather than a vase, the object of Nicolas’ material affections is a collection of paintings by Moses Rosenthaler. Hence the title of the film. Rosenthaler is still alive and Nicolas wants to corner the market on his work in anticipation of a value jump after the old guy kicks it. So that adds another wrinkle to the tale of an arrogant, mean-spirited guy. And while the story as it stands in the original film is decidedly free of the daddy issues that are common to Anderson’s films, I wonder if Rosenthaler might become more of a father figure in subsequent drafts of this version.

So is this Anderson’s next directorial effort? Doesn’t seem like it, as he recently said that he was doing something all his own. But this is something that could recur afterward, or it could be handed off to another director. (The Playlist suggests Roman Coppola, which is a note I heartily endorse. I liked enough of CQ, his Barbarella/Danger:Diabolik/Coppola Family remix, that I’d quite like to see another feature from Roman.)

So reports MTV, which quotes Anderson as such: “We didn’t ever figure out any full stories, but in fact [De Vita] wants to do some ‘White Cape’ comics now. So maybe we will be developing that property.”