Although pretty active in movies during the just-a-little-too-long run of “Friends,” David Schwimmer has been mostly absent from the big screen since the show ended in 2004. He did voice the giraffe character in Madagascar, but hasn’t taken on many flesh and blood roles. Now The Hollywood Reporter says he’s venturing back into your nearest multiplex in a political thriller ripped from today’s headlines, Nothing but the Truth.

Schwimmer will play the husband of a newspaper reporter, played by Kate Beckinsale, who outs a CIA agent and then goes to prison for not revealing her source. Since Kate is a bit hotter than Judith Miller, the plot is only partially ripped-off from the Valarie Plame case that dominated network talk shows a few years back. Other cast members include Matt Dillon, Vera Farmiga, Edie Falco, and Alan Alda.

Nothing but the Truth was written by Rod Lurie, who will also direct. He burst on the scene with The Contender, which wasn’t as good as it should have been considering the cast. He then gave us The Last Castle and I’m sure he’s sorry. Recently he’s been directing for television and is about to release Resurrecting the Champ with Samuel L. Jackson. Is he the guy to put Ross back on track with his second and third banana film career? We’ll see.