My friend began recommending this film left and right and so I had to check it out. I watched this without any idea who starred in it, what it would be about and so on and so forth. So there are three sort of intertwining story lines throughout and you sorta question if any, some or all of it is really happening. It was like a book within a book within a book thing. Book-ception. So I'm going to separate the three happenings:
Clay Hammond and Daniella:
- So the film begins with Dennis Quaid reading extracts from his recent novel. As he is reading this out to a room full of critiques and interviewers and other old people who would go to these kinds of book readings, Olivia Wilde comes in to listen halfway. Woman, what the hell are you doing coming to these things late? Just because you're gorgeous....
- Anyways during the breaks between Part 1 and Part 2 of his reading, they meet and she reveals that she want to interview even though she begins spouting off that she has read and watched every interview he has ever been in and knowing EVERYTHING ABOUT HIM. I swear if it were anyone but Olivia Wilde saying this, it'd be borderline creepy.
- Also she obviously is coming onto him and it's weird. I'm all for hot middle aged genius men (RDJ ughh) but YOU'RE OLIVIA WILDE and he's DENNIS QUAID. Everytime I see him my brain shouts "PARENT TRAP"
- Anyways afterwards they go to his place and she listens to the rest of the story
- There's more but I'm going to leave it at that for now
Rory and Dora:
- Played respectfully by Bradley Cooper and Zoe Saldana. They are what Hammond's story is about. They're a cute-as young couple and Rory is a struggling writer.
- It begins with an old man waiting outside in the rain as Rory and Dora go in a limo to a book honouring event for Rory's new novel. So far, alright.
- Then it flashes back to when Rory's really good novels weren't getting published because he was so new in the industry. You know this is exactly how it is for teenagers to get jobs. To get a job, we need experience but to get experience we need to get a job. CUT US SOME SLACK, ADULTS. WE'RE DESPERATE FOR MONEY AND LEARN FAST, JUST GIMME A JOB.
- As he gets rejected he needs to ask his father for a loan and his father starts going on about Rory having to take responsibility, be a man and get a job, to let this writing thing be a hobby. I related to that kind of shit HARD. The things I love to do are all the types of jobs and industries that are terrifically difficult to get into and be successful at. So when you try to pursue these things, people always try to talk you out of it or question and doubt it. That fucking sucks. To have something you love so much be so looked down upon. It just makes you feel like all the effort and work you've put into it and all the crap you've been taking from other people about it ten times worse. Like it's pointless and futile. Especially coming from family. What got me most was how he kept repeating "It's time to be a man" or some variation of that. What does being a man have to do with anything? What about being a human being and feeling happy and accomplished in life rather than trying to be someone you're not and letting it destroy who you actually are?
- Rant over
- So as Rory looks in this old book bag that Dora got for him on their honeymoon in Paris, he finds an old manuscript/novel (It's a gorgeous book bag btw. Lets go vintage/antique shopping in Paris one day guys). He reads it all and types it up on his computer because he's so taken by it.
- By now I figured out that he was going to get it published and someone would recognise the story.
- Dora convinces him to publish it and he becomes an instant success. I really really want to read that story now. Does it exist? Probably not.
- One day he is followed by the old man to the park and they begin to talk. Things get predictable when the old man reveals it was his story.
Jack and Celia:
- The old man tells his story set in France after the war.
- He meets this cute French waitress and they get together and be all cute and stuff. Ice cream was eaten and they taught each other their native language. It was hella adorbz. I really wanted that kind of cuteness
- Anyway he is dismissed and has to go home to the US of A but is depressed because he is madly in love with her. So he goes back to France and they reunite in making out in the middle of a French road. They get married and have a baby and all is amazing happy and cute. Which only meant that shit was going to hit the fan. Right?
- Their baby passes away from sickness and they both fall into depression drifting apart. One night while Jack is out, Celia leaves to live with her mother for some time and space away.
- Jack is just overwhelmed with everything that he had just lost and so begins to write and write and write. Some amazing acting here by Ben Barnes and I didn't know it was Ben Barnes until I looked up the movie after I watched it and HOLY CRAP HE IS ATTRACTIVE. His sad made me sad.
- He sends Celia the story and it convinces her to go back. She puts it in an amazing looking book bag but forgets to bring it off the train.
- The mix of the tragic loss, separation and losing the story that saved Jack's sanity made it impossible for them to fully get back together and so Jack eventually moves back to the US.
Now the old man (Who is Jeremy Irons btw) told Rory this story because Rory pretty found a part of his life and soul and used it for his own gain. Dick move, Rory. To be fair, Rory does try to make things right and tells two people the truth at the expense of his own fame and fortune. He tells Dora and it kind of really confuses me how it affected her. Like, I get that he lied but I didn't think she would take it personally. He tried to tell her when she first saw it but didn't. I knew she'd be upset and angry. Just not that much.
The ending is hella weird between Hammond and Daniella but then we find out that Hammond is Rory and that all the events in the movie did, indeed happen.
The movie did make me cry and relate to the characters, but I think that was more out of the amazing acting rather than script or storyline. It was good and I enjoyed it. But it left me a bit confused and wanting something more out of it. Bravo to the cast though. Very well done.
