6 Minutes
High-profile adaptation: a modern love story arrives
George Clooney and Annette Bening are set to headline In Love, a film adaptation of Amy Bloom’s bestselling memoir In Love: A Memoir of Love and Loss. Directed by Oscar nominee Paul Weitz, who co-wrote the screenplay with Bloom herself, the project brings together heavyweight acting talent, reputable producers and international financing for what promises to be a quiet, emotionally charged drama about commitment and an impossible choice.
What the story is about
Bloom’s memoir—hailed by Time as the No. 1 nonfiction book of 2022—explores intimacy, aging and a shared decision that tests the meaning of devotion. In Love is described as “an illuminating, modern love story about two people who make an impossible decision together that honors their enduring commitment to one another.” The film adaptation aims to translate that delicate, intimate material to the screen with sensitivity and a focus on performance.
Cast, crew and production partners
Clooney not only stars but produces through Smokehouse Pictures with longtime collaborator Grant Heslov. Annette Bening joins him as co-lead, forming a pairing that already has buzz among cinephiles for its promise of nuanced, mature performances. Paul Weitz—best known for films such as About a Boy and more recently for running the Apple TV adaptation of Murderbot—directs and co-wrote the screenplay with Bloom.
Development credits include Eddie Vaisman and Julia Lebedev (producers of Rental Family and Bad Education) producing for Sight Unseen; Andrew Miano and Weitz producing for Depth of Field; Sébastian Raybaud producing for Anton, the company fully financing and representing international rights. U.S. rights are being co-repped by Anton and CAA Media Finance.
Where this sits in the careers of Clooney, Bening and Weitz
Clooney arrives on this project fresh off festival praise for Jay Kelly—directed by Noah Baumbach—and continues to split his time between acting, producing and directing. Most recently he directed The Boys in the Boat and earned a Tony nomination for his Broadway debut in Good Night, and Good Luck. Bening, meanwhile, remains busy with a diverse slate that includes Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride, the Apple TV series Lucky and a role in the Yellowstone spinoff The Dutton Ranch.
For Weitz, In Love represents a tonal pivot from earlier commercial and comedic projects toward intimate adult drama—though he knows how to balance warmth, wit and emotional stakes. “Amy’s memoir is a contemporary fable of love, wit and existential stakes. I can’t wait to do it justice with this amazing cast,” Weitz said, signaling a faithful but cinematic approach.
Comparisons and tone
If you’re thinking of films that probe later-life relationships with both humor and gravity, In Love may find company alongside titles like The Farewell, Away From Her or The Meyerowitz Stories—movies where established actors carry stories that are small in scale but large in emotional consequence. With Clooney and Bening in the leads, audiences can expect restrained star turns rather than showy star vehicles—performances rooted in lived experience.
Industry context: why this adaptation matters
The industry has steadily warmed to literary memoirs as source material for character-driven adult dramas, particularly when paired with A-list actors who can sell subtle emotional shifts. Studios and financiers also favor projects with festival potential and strong international appeal—both of which In Love appears to have. Anton’s decision to fully finance and represent international rights, with U.S. distribution packaging in the works, points to strategic confidence in the film’s marketability.
Author and source material
Amy Bloom is an acclaimed novelist and short story writer—her books include White Houses, Lucky Us and Come to Me (a National Book Award finalist). She expressed gratitude about the film moving forward: “I have been so lucky to work with Eddie and Julie, so lucky to write with Paul and so grateful that this story of lasting love gets to be told on the screen, in Paul’s gifted hands, by two of the greatest actors in America.” The author’s involvement in the screenplay helps ensure the adaptation stays close to the memoir’s emotional center.
Production notes, rights and timing
Anton is financing the project and handling international rights while U.S. rights are co-repped by Anton and CAA Media Finance. Producers include teams from Sight Unseen, Depth of Field and Smokehouse Pictures, signaling a collaborative production structure common to prestige adult dramas. No production or release dates have been announced yet.
"This pairing—Clooney and Bening under Paul Weitz—signals a film that will privilege performance and moral nuance over spectacle," says cinema historian Marko Jensen. "It’s the kind of adult drama the festival circuit and discerning audiences still hunger for."
What to watch for next
Keep an eye on casting announcements beyond the two leads, any festival debut plans, and whether the film opts for a traditional theatrical release or festival-then-streaming window. Given the pedigree on board, In Love is likely to seek festival exposure before a wider release, following a familiar path for literary adaptations that want awards and critical traction.
Between the rich source material, a director comfortable with both comedy and drama, and two veteran performers known for emotional precision, In Love shapes up as a project tailored for viewers who appreciate mature storytelling about love, loss and moral choices. For fans of film adaptations, memoir cinema and actors working at the top of their craft, this is one to watch.
In Love does not yet have a release date, but the names attached and the film’s pedigree make it a likely contender on awards-minded circuits once production moves forward.
Source: deadline
Comments
Tomas
Is this even true? Anton fully financing sounds bold. Bloom co-writing helps tho. Festival push obvious, hope it avoids being too sentimental.
mechbyte
Wow didn't expect Clooney and Bening to team up for a low-key love film. Sounds moving, if handled with care. fingers crossed but also curious how they'll film those quiet moments
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