Michael Rapaport is to make his narrative feature directing debut on noir thriller Tough Luck, from Rival Pictures.

Based on the 2003 novel by Jason Starr, who will also write the screenplay, Tough Luck is scheduled for production next year in New York. The story revolves around a kid from Brooklyn whose life spirals out of control when a man he believes to be a mobster coerces him into betting his life savings on the track.

Rapaport and Rival previously collaborated on documentary Beats, Rhymes and Life: The Travels of A Tribe Called Quest.

“What appealed to me about this story is how one bad decision leads to another and sometimes having the best intentions isn’t enough to keep you out of trouble,” said Rapaport. “It’s unsettling and maybe a bit cynical, but it’s a slice of life I can relate with.”

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