Writer and director Juan Diego Solanas is best known for NORDESTE, his international festival darling from 2005. UPSIDE DOWN is his follow-up film, and it’s a doozy. Jim Sturgess and Kirsten Dunst are both attached to star in the film. Dunst has apparently been in talks to star as “Eve” for awhile, but procuring a leading man has been a bit harder – Emile Hirsch was once believed to be negotiating for the leading role of “Adam,” now to be played by Jim Sturgess.

The plot of UPSIDE DOWN is one of those that has kept me quite busy in my attempts to visualize it. I have found myself saying, “huh” aloud a few times, usually while gazing upward and imagining the world described in UPSIDE DOWN’s plot. I have not gotten very far in this work, and will continue until I get a suitable mental picture. Or, until the film comes out. Whichever comes first.

Slash Film found the official synopsis for UPSIDE DOWN. Brace yourself.

“Look up towards the sky and rub your eyes because you won’t believe what you see: cities, forests, and oceans with their own inverted gravity, only an arm’s length away, yet completely unreachable. Take a leap over to this alternate reality, two worlds – one above, one below - facing each other, and you’ll land in the extraordinary world of UPSIDE DOWN.

Adam is a seemingly ordinary guy in a very extraordinary universe. He lives humbly trying to make ends meet, but his romantic spirit holds on to the memory of a girl he met once upon a time from another world, an inverted affluent world with its own gravity, directly above but beyond reach… a girl named Eve. Their childhood flirtation becomes an impossible love. But when he catches a glimpse of grown-up Eve on television, nothing will get in the way of getting her back…Not even the law or science!”

Now do you understand my confusion? But don’t let my confusion sway you, I am intrigued by this project, not only in terms of plot, but in how this whole thing will be visually accomplished.

As for the casting – it’s also interesting. Dunst has become a bit of a polarizing force when it comes to her career (to put it gently, some people really hate it and her), and though I’ve never been totally on the Dunst bandwagon, I’ve always seen potential in her. While her portrayal as Mary Jane Watson in the SPIDER-MAN franchise is easily my least favorite of any of her work, I enjoyed her immensely in ELIZABETHTOWN and MARIE ANTOINETTE. And Sturgess has been building himself an interesting career with roles in ACROSS THE UNIVERSE and 21. Another high concept leading man role could be what puts him on the short list for young actors (I’d currently say he’s on the medium list). The real key to this pairing? Chemistry.

How do you guys picture UPSIDE DOWN’s two worlds and two leads?

Source The Playlist, Slash Film