Report Card----"Brooklyn"

"Brooklyn" is a movie that you really want to fall in love with.
And for the first two thirds of it, I was in love with it.
Then, the story took a shallow, meaningless turn, and never recovered from it.
It takes place in the early 1950s.
It is about a young Irish girl who has the opportunity to move to America, specifically Brooklyn, where a better job awaits her.
She leaves behind a mother and a sister who she adores.
Will she make the adjustment?
Soon enough she has an Italian boyfriend and is head over heels in love with him.
For reasons I won't divulge she returns to Ireland for a "short visit".
Will she return?

On to the scoring:

Is it interesting?

It's never not interesting.
A.

Compelling even?

Not quite.
B.

Is it controversial?

No.
B-.

Is it a story worth telling?

There really isn't enough of a legitimate conflict.
Perhaps it could be fixed.
B-.

Is it good storytelling?

Until about the 1 hour and ten minute mark.
C.

Is it well written?

The dialogue is quite engaging.
A.

Is it well cast? Well played?

Extremely.
A+.

Well shot?

Extremely. I love the cars.
A+.

Did the director put such a personal stamp on it so that no one else could have made it?

It is very atmospheric. But I suppose anyone could have done it as well.
B-.

How long does it take to establish the film's locale?

Immediately. First Ireland, then Brooklyn.
A.

Is it too long? Too short?

Length was not the problem. I just thought the ending was arrived at totally artificially.
B.

Is it believable? Do you care about the characters?

Until the two-thirds mark.
C.

Is it predictable? Does it surprise you?

That's the problem. Once you see where it's going, it's totally predictable.
D.

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

I'm still trying to figure out how to fix it. And it's too late.
C-.

Is it funny?

It's often quite charmingly funny.
A.

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

'Fraid not.
C-.

Is it impressive?

On some levels.
B.

Overall grade: B-.

Obviously, I'm leaving out the spoiler alert.
If you want it, send me an e-mail and I'll send it to you.
My e-mail address is below.

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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".
They are all compilations of blog entries that have since been removed from the blog.
So this is the only way you can find them.
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.

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