Reading The Game was an adventure, to say the least. It's one of the oddest books we've ever read, and since we weren't single at the time there was no way to test out some of the pick-up techniques it talks about ... so, instead, we just made our friend do it. And the funniest thing about the book's overtly sexist pick-up tips is that they actually kind of work. Or at least they did for our buddy. But the book isn't just a how-to guide for men who want to pick up women, it's actually a fascinating story about how some boring, dopish reporter named Neil Strauss not only infiltrated the world of professional pick-up artists, but he actually became one himself.

And now, naturally, Hollywood wants to make a movie based on the book. VH1 has already aired a reality show called The Pick-Up Artist centered on the primary teacher in the book -- a guy named Mystery -- though it's no longer on the air, and now The Hollywood Reporter tells us that James Franco is in discussions to play Mystery. The adaptation, which has been in the works for a few years via different studios and directors (Chris Weitz and Rawson Marshall Thurber were once attached to direct), has now landed at MGM, who've tapped the team of Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Knockaround Guys, Solitary Man, The Girlfriend Experience) to write and direct.

No word yet on production schedule or who will portray Strauss (we kinda like Justin Timberlake), but you can drop down below and check out some videos of the real-life Mystery in action. Anyone else read The Game? Did it work for you?

Warning: NSFW language featured in the videos below









