Dakota Johnson to star in courtroom drama 'Unfit'

Actress Dakota Johnson has been roped in to play a key role in 'Unfit', a courtroom drama about a notorious 1927 case that permitted the forced sterilization of undesirable citizens.

Lawyer-turned-screenwriter

Melissa London Hilfers

has written the script for the movie, while Brett Ratner and

John Cheng

are producing it.


"Like many, I was not privy to this shocking and fascinating moment in American history. I quickly became obsessed with the prospect of shedding light on the massive misstep in American justice.

Carrie Buck

's story is poignant and galvanizing and certain aspects are unnervingly congruent with the relationship between the government and women today," Johnson, 27, said.

Based on

Adam Cohen

's non-fiction book 'Imbeciles: The Supreme Court, American Eugenics, and the Sterilization of Carrie Buck', the film will tell the story of a poor young Virginia woman who was declared 'feebleminded' and sterilized by the state.