Report Card----"Unbroken"

Yet another reason why I can't stand Chris Mathews anymore: He spoke about this movie on his last show, saying something like "I don't know what all the shouting is about. I just couldn't get into it. I mean, I LOVED the book. Maybe it's because the movie had a feminine sensibility (You know, because it was directed by Angelina Jolie.)."
"A feminine sensibility".
Right.
It was just chauvinistic for this shmuck to say that.
The reason he couldn't get into the movie was probably BECAUSE he loved the book, and thus was totally familiar with the story.
There is probably a correlation to be made with how familiar you are with the story going in, and how blown away you'll be by the movie.
Fortunately, I had not read the book, and was totally unfamiliar with this story of a survivor of torture in a Japanese POW camp during World War II, Louis Zamporini.
And I was blown away.

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

Overwhelmingly.
A+.

Compelling even?

Constantly.
A+.

Is it controversial?

What with torture being in the news every day, absolutely.
A+.

Is it a story worth telling?

Over and over.
A+.

Is it good storytelling?

Excellent, although I understand that Zamporini was actually much more of a juvenile delinquent than he was portrayed.
A-.

Is it well written?

Yes. Very.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?

The Japanese actor playing "The Bird" was totally compelling.
We did fall into the trap of two key actors looking a little too much like each other, causing you to say, on more than one occasion, "Is that him, or the other one?"
This is so easily remedied.
A.

Well shot?

Very.
A.

Is it too long? Too short?

Probably too short. I saw an interview between Tom Brokaw and Jolie, where she discussed the post-war dramatic stress disorder that Zamporini underwent that almost destroyed him as much as the prison camp did.
I would have liked to see that depicted more.
B.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

It was true. It behooves you to care about the characters.
A+.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

I was one of the fortunate ones to never see what was coming.
A+.

Do you think about it after you've seen it?

It makes us realize what we can be if we have to be.
A+.

Is it funny?

It's not really about that.
No Grade.

Would it have been worth the thirteen bucks it would have cost to see it in the movies?

The immensity of it is that much greater in a filled movie theatre.
It's the best way to see it.
A+.

Is it impressive ?

Constantly.
A+.

Overall grade: A+.

Somebody please tell Chris Matthews to shut up.

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My books ,"Show Runner" and it's sequel, "Show Runner Two", can be found at the Amazon Kindle Store.
Along with the newer ones, "The Man Is Dead", and "Report Cards".
You can search by typing in my name, Cindy Williams, Laverne and Shirley, The Odd Couple, or Happy Days.
Check them out.
You don't need a Kindle machine to download them.
Just get the free app from Kindle, and they can be downloaded to an IPhone, IPad, or Blackberry.
The paperbacks, "Mark Rothman's Essays" and my new novel, "I'm Not Garbo" are not
e-books. But they are available for people without Kindle.
I have many readings and signings lined up for those, and the thing about Kindle is you can't sign one. If you'd like one of the paperbacks, personally autographed, contact me at macchus999@aol.com.

And now, we've got my reading of my "Laverne and Shirley Movie" screenplay on YouTube.

*****