It has always been difficult for films to realistically and meaningfully translate the process of writing to the screen.  The old school writer types, rips the unfinished paper out of the typewriter, smashes it into a ball and slams it into a garbage can, then feeds a fresh sheet of paper into the machine and tries again.  That scene is in this movie, because that scene is in most movies about writing.  The actual art of writing is such an internal mechanism that most efforts to embody it are now clichéd and trite.  How to get around that?  Have your writer finish the book and then move to the publishing process, focusing on a book tour.

Lina Roessler’s film goes that route, with distressed publisher Lucy Stanbridge (Aubrey Plaza) pressuring famed writer Harris Shaw (Michael Caine) to release a second novel a half century after his first, and then publicize it.  This becomes an onerous task, as Harris hates the idea of a book tour and Lucy is prohibited from editing the manuscript before publishing it.  The movie follows them as they embark upon the worst book tour imaginable, one that — like so many romantic comedies, though without a sexual side — brings the two opposites together and provides a surprising end to their saga.

I didn’t like most of the movie because the characters are too believably and convincingly harsh, not only to one another but to the world they inhabit.  Harris Shaw is a world-class jerk.  Lucy is just desperate enough to try anything to keep her publishing house afloat.  For better than an hour we see these two continually interfere with the others’ plans and things go from bad to worse.  When the tide finally turns, as we know it must, it’s a bit late in the game for me.  By then I was hoping Lucy would have to sell and Harris would finally join his dear departed wife.  The last ten minutes makes me reconsider, as the story finally reaches its critical mass and becomes as sentimental as it can allow itself to be, and that helps.  I do appreciate where the story concludes, but it was still tough to get there.  Still, for viewers who like the stars, especially the erudite Mr. Caine, it is rewarding.  ☆ ☆.  13 August 2022.