MUMBAI: Magnolia Pictures has acquired the US distribution rights of Dagur Kari‘s The Good Heart that stars Brian Cox, Paul Dano and Isild Le Besco.

It also plans a 2010 video-on-demand (VOD) platform release under its Ultra VOD label before the film‘s theatrical rollout.

The Good Heart that screened in Toronto recently stars Cox as the curmudgeonly owner of a gritty New York dive bar who befriends a young man he believes should inherit his business.

Said Magnolia president Eamonn Bowles, "We‘re delighted to be working with Dagur, who has crafted a tribute to a New York institution - the dive bar. Brian Cox is one of the best actors working today, and gives a dynamite performance that we‘re excited to share with American audiences."

Magnolia‘s senior vice-president Tom Quinn, vice-president of acquisitions Dori Begley and head of business affairs Chris Matson negotiated the deal with Victoria Cook of Cinetic.