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The Grip of Film
You SLUG the guy.
You KISS the dame.
You TOTAL the car.
That's movies. And I love 'em.
Gordy LaSure’s passionate about film. He eats film, he drinks film, and sometimes he’ll even watch a film. But most of all he loves talking about film, and how they’d be a shit-ton better if only people would pull their asses out of their ears and listen to Gordy LaSure.
The voyage of this book can be categorised as an attempt to understand How In Hell Film Works. Why are some films bad, and some films terrible? How come just a handful of films ( Titanic, Porky’s, Dirty Harry ) are any good at all? Gordy’ll tell you How and Why, and he’ll give you a shot of Wherefore on the side. And he doesn’t shoot from the hip; he shoots from the gut.
You KISS the dame.
You TOTAL the car.
That's movies. And I love 'em.
Gordy LaSure’s passionate about film. He eats film, he drinks film, and sometimes he’ll even watch a film. But most of all he loves talking about film, and how they’d be a shit-ton better if only people would pull their asses out of their ears and listen to Gordy LaSure.
The voyage of this book can be categorised as an attempt to understand How In Hell Film Works. Why are some films bad, and some films terrible? How come just a handful of films ( Titanic, Porky’s, Dirty Harry ) are any good at all? Gordy’ll tell you How and Why, and he’ll give you a shot of Wherefore on the side. And he doesn’t shoot from the hip; he shoots from the gut.
368 pages, Paperback
First published October 3, 2017
154 people are currently reading
2556 people want to read
About the author
Richard Ayoade
24 books1,029 followersRichard Ellef Ayoade is a British comedian, film director, screenwriter, television presenter, actor, and author best known for his role as the socially awkward IT technician Maurice Moss in Channel 4 sitcom The IT Crowd, for which he won the 2014 BAFTA for Best Male Comedy Performance.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews
July 26, 2024
"And what about Citizen Kane? A guy so drunk he can't hold onto a snow globe mutters something about the clitoris and then dies for no reason. Suddenly, we're into a ten-minute news bulletin that schleps through his entire life story, and then we're back in the future with a bunch of silhouettes arguing about what he said when he died, even though nobody could have heard it . . . No wonder why they couldn't get distribution [for this film]. If they'd wanted to actually gross some [box office] dollar, they should've just called it Dude, Where's My Sled?" -- the satirical bashing of a classic, on page 316
Author / cinema professor Gordy LaSure - the nom de plume of British comic actor Richard Ayoade - provides an alphabetized list of what is required to make a movie truly work in his jocular The Grip of Film. This is one of those books that just can't be taken too seriously, and occasionally overdoes the schtick - I had commented to a GR friend that sometimes the lengthy jokes not only beat that proverbial dead horse, but also pack it up for shipping to the glue factory - but every so often the humor lands because author Ayoade has put some thought into his observations, which mostly center on 80's or later action movies, although a handful of comedies are in the mix as well. Also, I don't think there exists any other book with so many references to the Swayze 'doorman dramedy' Road House and the forgotten Schwarzenegger crime drama Raw Deal (arguably overlooked because it fell between the more memorable The Terminator and Predator) literally fighting for page space. Often profane while also gloriously politically incorrect, the book is an amusing diversion.
Author / cinema professor Gordy LaSure - the nom de plume of British comic actor Richard Ayoade - provides an alphabetized list of what is required to make a movie truly work in his jocular The Grip of Film. This is one of those books that just can't be taken too seriously, and occasionally overdoes the schtick - I had commented to a GR friend that sometimes the lengthy jokes not only beat that proverbial dead horse, but also pack it up for shipping to the glue factory - but every so often the humor lands because author Ayoade has put some thought into his observations, which mostly center on 80's or later action movies, although a handful of comedies are in the mix as well. Also, I don't think there exists any other book with so many references to the Swayze 'doorman dramedy' Road House and the forgotten Schwarzenegger crime drama Raw Deal (arguably overlooked because it fell between the more memorable The Terminator and Predator) literally fighting for page space. Often profane while also gloriously politically incorrect, the book is an amusing diversion.
sampled
June 12, 2019This could have been an excellent mix of spoof handbook and cinema-theory parody—instead, in adopting the persona of a kickass action-movie director, Ayoade limits himself to a repeated shtick on a series of formulaic '80s movies, riffing on familiar tropes from these films within a wiseass persona, relying on FREQUENT CAPS and macho traits to crank up the humour. This wears thin fairly quickly. Ayoade is funnier as Ayoade.
March 29, 2022
A satirical A-Z guide to action movies. Highly recommended for those who are fans of both Ayoade AND Schwarzenegger-style action flicks.
Favorite shit:
Also:
Favorite shit:
“If someone describes a movie as a CHARACTER STUDY, we all know what they mean: ‘This thing’s gonna be slow as shit.’
If Rocky were boring, they would call it a character study.
Raging Bull is a character study.
The studio didn’t even pony up for color film stock. Fancy humming the theme tune to Raging Bull? Didn’t think so. If I want to see a fat fuck talk to himself in the mirror, I’ll put CCTV in my bathroom.
Predator isn’t a character study. Is there any moment in time when you’re doing something better than watching Predator? I’d rather be watching Predator now, and I’m having sex with someone.”
Also:
“HEROES very rarely agree to SHAKE HANDS, and almost never air-kiss. And yet, despite their lack of civility, we cheer them on. This is because the hero acts as we wish we could and NOT as we actually do. We don’t want to touch people’s puffy hands; we don’t want some asshole’s clammy cheek barreling toward us in smug expectation; we don’t want to endure the humiliation of having our outstretched arm pivoted back into our chest for a hip-hop hug from a forty-five-year-old. And yet we allow these violations every day of our shriveled lives.
Do you think Jason Statham would put up with this bullshit?”
November 19, 2022
“One of the reasons The Avengers is among the highest-grossing films of all time is that it’s filled with people who act for a living. They don’t care whether the dialogue makes any sense! For the correct fee, they’ll pretend it does!”
Gordy LaSure has a lot of thoughts about films I've never seen and I have now listened to them all. It was quite the experience. Steven Seagal is referenced frequently, reverently. I've never seen one of his films, which I must say added a lot to the experience - perhaps I will continue to avoid him so that LaSure's loving descriptions can exist in my mind undisturbed.
Jon Korkes performance was excellent. It took me a few minutes to adjust -- I'd anticipated Richard Ayoade's more mild voice, and the in your face (ears) that I got instead was unexpected, but as I listened to the words leaving the characters mouth it became clear why Korkes has been recruited. I did get to listen to Richard Ayoade reading scenes from action films such as Road House --- this was highly enjoyable. His reading was seamless, and you would never know he wasn't Patrick Swayze, unless you have seen the film, in which case you might spot some subtle variations in voice, tone and enthusiasm.
This is a great interview to get a feel for the book/author:
https://youtu.be/xI4hh11Kh-Q
December 8, 2017
This book is an absolute disgrace!
First of all, I just want to say that I am not a prude and I'm not easily offended in the slightest, in fact, I actually really like offensive things, in particular, offensive humour.
I don't think I've ever read a book by an author that so obviously doesn't appreciate women, the way Gordy Lasure (well Richard Ayoade writing as Gordy Lasure) writes about women is really quite disgusting. I'm not going to go into what he says about women, there are too many ridiculous things to mention, but what I will say is that I bet Gordy Lasure is a Trump supporter, I also bet he has a tiny dick. There's even a chapter that says, and I quote, "it's amusing to threaten rape". I get that this is a humorous book but if you're going to be offensive, especially about women, it has to be clever and at least a little bit funny, this is just LAME!
I find this to be a bit of a shame, I really liked A Cinematic Odyssey by Ayoade and I also really dig his movies, I really don't know what he was trying to do with this book, it's all over the place and is a complete mess.
Hands down one of the very worst books I have ever read in my entire life. SHAMEFUL!!
First of all, I just want to say that I am not a prude and I'm not easily offended in the slightest, in fact, I actually really like offensive things, in particular, offensive humour.
I don't think I've ever read a book by an author that so obviously doesn't appreciate women, the way Gordy Lasure (well Richard Ayoade writing as Gordy Lasure) writes about women is really quite disgusting. I'm not going to go into what he says about women, there are too many ridiculous things to mention, but what I will say is that I bet Gordy Lasure is a Trump supporter, I also bet he has a tiny dick. There's even a chapter that says, and I quote, "it's amusing to threaten rape". I get that this is a humorous book but if you're going to be offensive, especially about women, it has to be clever and at least a little bit funny, this is just LAME!
I find this to be a bit of a shame, I really liked A Cinematic Odyssey by Ayoade and I also really dig his movies, I really don't know what he was trying to do with this book, it's all over the place and is a complete mess.
Hands down one of the very worst books I have ever read in my entire life. SHAMEFUL!!
January 3, 2018
I hate quitting a book before the end but was sorely tempted to dump this one. Essentially one joke played out over a few hundred pages, the book quickly outstays its welcome with insufficient humour to counteract the effort required to read it. (Not that it's a 'heavy' read with plenty of white space padding out the page count). It is however tedious.
December 28, 2017
Loved this satirical take on the great and not so great classics of the American, 80s action film genre. I haven't laughed so hard at a book in... I can't even remember. I'm an intelligent, female reader and author and I fully appreciate that this is satire - meaning Ayoade is satirising mysogyny in film, not endorsing it. Very, very clever Mr Ayoade, very clever!
April 7, 2020
Satirizes action movies, and American culture in general, by pretending to take them very seriously.
If you're not familiar with Ayoade's comedy, familiarize yourself. He's a wry, sensitive, artsy, self-effacing nerd after my own heart. The irony of his having written this book is a big part of the joke here.
It made me laugh a lot.
If you're not familiar with Ayoade's comedy, familiarize yourself. He's a wry, sensitive, artsy, self-effacing nerd after my own heart. The irony of his having written this book is a big part of the joke here.
It made me laugh a lot.
November 10, 2017
I get it this is supposed to be a satire on the film buisness but this book just wasn't for me. The humour was crass and unfunny and it came across as quite sexist and just generally a bit offensive.
July 4, 2017
This is ostensibly written by Scottish ex-pat Gordy LaSure, and edited with many a footnote by comedian/actor/TV presenter/film director Richard Ayoade (who will always be Ned Smanks from Nathan Barley to me). It's Gordy's own take on what makes a good movie. Now living in LA and holding forth on movies to anyone who'll listen, Gordy has tried to put his many failed marriages behind him.
This isn't meant to be read as I read it - cover to cover - it's more a book to be dipped in and out of. But even reading it cover to cover, it's very funny. Gordy eschews the likes of Citizen Kane and Twelve Years A Slave, and any and all British films, in favour of 1980s action films such as Raw Deal and Road House, and romcoms such as View From The Top. He likes his heroes to be fit, angry, homicidal and misogynistic in equal measure. I must admit, I haven't seen many of the films - or should I say movies? - he mentions, but I still enjoyed his descriptions, and I loved his own attempts at screenwriting. It almost made me want to sit down and watch any film that features Steven Seagal... If you're a fan of Richard Ayoade, you won't be disappointed.
This isn't meant to be read as I read it - cover to cover - it's more a book to be dipped in and out of. But even reading it cover to cover, it's very funny. Gordy eschews the likes of Citizen Kane and Twelve Years A Slave, and any and all British films, in favour of 1980s action films such as Raw Deal and Road House, and romcoms such as View From The Top. He likes his heroes to be fit, angry, homicidal and misogynistic in equal measure. I must admit, I haven't seen many of the films - or should I say movies? - he mentions, but I still enjoyed his descriptions, and I loved his own attempts at screenwriting. It almost made me want to sit down and watch any film that features Steven Seagal... If you're a fan of Richard Ayoade, you won't be disappointed.
July 4, 2019
An okay read. It’s definitely light, but the premise gets pretty boring fairly quickly. There are some gems in there, but it’s more of a dip-in, dip-out kind of book I fear. It also gets a little rough, despite the premise, the way he hammers on with some not-okay stuff (e.g.: rape).
October 1, 2018
I thought this might be cheering after the sadness of The Silence of the Girls, but apparently wasn’t in the right mood for its sense of humour. I normally find Ayodade much funnier. ‘The Grip of Film’ is an A to Z of film, written in the voice of Gordy LaSure, who strongly reminded me of Bob the Zooniverse boss in The Mighty Boosh. He lists and attempts to explain cinematic cliches. Actually, the humour has dated somewhat due to the MeToo movement uncovering appalling abusive behaviour endemic in Hollywood. Thus misogyny and light-hearted discussion of rape threats are harder to smile at. It can also get a bit repetitive and Ayodade’s editorial interjections in his own voice don’t really add much. Nonetheless, ‘The Grip of Film’ is certainly perceptive about Hollywood bullshit and there are plenty of entertaining comments, such as:
Sometimes it merely states the depressingly obvious:
My favourite part, however, is a mock script in the entry for ‘CALL TO ACTION’, which is too long to quote and features a baby rhino. Not sure that I learned much about film from this book, but it had some diverting moments.
The hero’s struggle is to keep off his ass for as long as possible. That’s why every Aaron Sorkin hero walks fast along corridors, while people with clipboards run to keep up with him. They’re trying to outrun their own asses. And Sorkin knows that a rolling ass gathers no moss. Heroes power-slide under rapidly dropping portcullises, punch Foreign Nationals, shoot at people for whom we have no narrative empathy and make sweet love to women of above-average attractiveness. Try doing any of these things while keeping your ass still.
[...]
Faced with the prospect of watching some British film about unattractive people in inadequate housing, your body automatically shuts down to protect itself.
Sometimes it merely states the depressingly obvious:
Studios hire actors they think the public still like to act in a story that’s like something the public used to like three years ago. Then they hire a director who once made a good film to take the blame if it all goes wrong. If it’s successful, everyone takes the credit, except if it’s a female director, in which case she got lucky or blew someone. But if it all goes wrong and the director is female, it’s totally her fault.
My favourite part, however, is a mock script in the entry for ‘CALL TO ACTION’, which is too long to quote and features a baby rhino. Not sure that I learned much about film from this book, but it had some diverting moments.
April 6, 2021
Hilarious at times, but gets repetetive.
The premise is that Ayoade has released a book from self-appointed douchebag deluxe filmmaker Gordy LaSure. Gordy's film ideals are mostly 80s and 90s action movies with a heroic, invincible leading man. Gordy explains what makes a movie great while Ayoade interjects and comments.
I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend. Hearing Ayoade himself as well as Jon Korkes, which is excellent as Gordy, gives the book a lift, and in the duller parts you can appreciate their voices if nothing else.
The comedy of this book is edgier than Ayoade's normal style since he can outsource the edgy jokes to the character of Gordy LaSure. It becomes clear quite fast that Gordy is a sexist and racist man. This is usually shown not as jokes directly, more in a way of describing how different characters should be treated in the movies. Which is usually exactly how those characters are treated in the real movies.
If you are the type of person that can enjoy the ridicuslousness of a "classic" Steven Seagal movie then I think you will enjoy this book. If you don't have a relationship with 80s and 90s action movies from Seagal, Schwarzenegger and Stallone then you might not. Unless you are a huge Ayoade fan of course. As mentioned earlier, this books gets somewhat repetitive, but Ayoade's golden nuggets had me laughing out loud several times.
The premise is that Ayoade has released a book from self-appointed douchebag deluxe filmmaker Gordy LaSure. Gordy's film ideals are mostly 80s and 90s action movies with a heroic, invincible leading man. Gordy explains what makes a movie great while Ayoade interjects and comments.
I listened to the audiobook, which I highly recommend. Hearing Ayoade himself as well as Jon Korkes, which is excellent as Gordy, gives the book a lift, and in the duller parts you can appreciate their voices if nothing else.
The comedy of this book is edgier than Ayoade's normal style since he can outsource the edgy jokes to the character of Gordy LaSure. It becomes clear quite fast that Gordy is a sexist and racist man. This is usually shown not as jokes directly, more in a way of describing how different characters should be treated in the movies. Which is usually exactly how those characters are treated in the real movies.
If you are the type of person that can enjoy the ridicuslousness of a "classic" Steven Seagal movie then I think you will enjoy this book. If you don't have a relationship with 80s and 90s action movies from Seagal, Schwarzenegger and Stallone then you might not. Unless you are a huge Ayoade fan of course. As mentioned earlier, this books gets somewhat repetitive, but Ayoade's golden nuggets had me laughing out loud several times.
May 26, 2019
I was quickly exhausted by the relentlessly misogynist, boorish voice of Gordy LaSure. Yes, I know it's satire, but even dipping in and out of the book occasionally (it's an A-Z and reading it straight through is unnecessary), I only chuckled a few times and mostly rolled my eyes and wondered why we have a whole book of this as humor when it's just as easy to find it everywhere on the big screen and in movie reviews.
October 26, 2021
Review for Audible edition: it took me a while to get used to the fact that the majority of the book is narrated by Jon Korkes rather than Richard Ayoade. It is also best listened to in little segments as it's encyclopedic nature lends itself better due to some repetition. It's very amusing take on artistic criticism and is great if you grew up with cheesy films of the 80s/90s.
December 31, 2017
If nothing else, LaSure's palpable excitement over cinematic bukkake such as Roadhouse, Fire Down Below and 3 Days to Kill, and real HEROes such as Seagal, Cruise and Norris, makes this reader want to explore this oeuvre, which has hitherto escaped me.
July 4, 2018
Though not (quite) as good as his first book there are enough zingers -and enough unique insight here for this to be very worthwhile. A fun, easy read from a brilliant mind.
January 5, 2024
Honestly I usually like all of Richard’s stuff but this was a bit off to me. Maybe I’ll have to give it another read at some point
May 26, 2020
Many years ago, I can recall reading a reviewer pour scorn over the performance of the rock group Poison. I details I recall are sketchy, but a particular criticism concerned the guitarist’s ability to show technical proficiency on a solo, and that there appeared to be very little expertise required to play ‘only one note’. Now, I doubt that the guitarist (whose name I do not know) possessed the talent of a contemporary- say Joe Satriani – nor am I making any judgement on the solo performed. I only mention this because the ‘only one note’ criticism stuck with me, and it came to mind as I was listening to The Grip of Film. I think Richard Ayoade is an extremely talented and funny guy, I loved listening to ‘View’, but the central character in ‘Grip’ WILL wear you down. Only one note.
Read
February 18, 2019Did you grow up watching the adventures of Steven Seagal & Van Damme? Do you cry yourself to sleep thinking of how everyone remembers Johnny Castle, but not Dalton? Have Dolph Lundgren’s movies made a bigger impact on you than anything made by Ingmar Bergman? If yes, you probably don’t need to (doesn’t mean you should not) read this. If no, read it to learn why Raw Deal is such a better epic than Citizen Kane. Regardless, read it. You’ll laugh. A lot.
October 9, 2025
A long time ago in a galaxy far away, my brother returned home from a first date looking less than ecstatic. It seemed now was the time for me to ask how his date went.
He said that he asked what her favourite movie was and with total conviction she replied, “Rush Hour II.”
This book is so incredibly serious about being completely unserious. A total act of literary possession in some moments with a vicious lampooning of this Bukowski-esque character’s masculinity from within the racist-misogynistic-homophobic action movie logic that can barely sustain itself. This is my very boring way of saying I laughed so hard I cried.
He said that he asked what her favourite movie was and with total conviction she replied, “Rush Hour II.”
This book is so incredibly serious about being completely unserious. A total act of literary possession in some moments with a vicious lampooning of this Bukowski-esque character’s masculinity from within the racist-misogynistic-homophobic action movie logic that can barely sustain itself. This is my very boring way of saying I laughed so hard I cried.
August 16, 2019
If Richard Ayoade asked me to do anything I'd probably say yes.
That being said, I'm not sure if I really got this book. Or perhaps I should say I got the reasoning behind it, but the execution didn't work for me as well as I had hoped. It's a satire on Hollywood, the film industry and it's related tropes, all set in the voice of Gordy LaSure, a fictional film maverick. He's a big fan of the 80s/90s style blockbuster action movies and doesn't have much time for anything else, and sadly it makes the book feel a bit one note to me. I know it's satire, I know it's all making fun of the movie making machine, but after the 8th 'haha women are ridiculous aren't they!?' joke, you kinda get the point. Ayoade references the fact that it is repetitive, but just because something is aware of it's faults it doesn't absolve them. It's not a bad book, I felt like it just suffered from doing the same jokes over and over again and although the book is a pretty short and easy read, (there's so much unused space, it's a lot shorter than the page count suggests) a lot of the sections felt repetitive for me. I did however love all the comments that Richard Ayoade added in the footnotes as addendum's to Gordy's rants. It's a funny book. There's a great Campbell soup joke in there somewhere that I can't remember now, but reading it in small chunks would probably be better than trying to plow through it and might help fight off some of those repetitive jokes I was speaking of. Still, Ayoade is a genius and I love him.
Blog / Twitter
That being said, I'm not sure if I really got this book. Or perhaps I should say I got the reasoning behind it, but the execution didn't work for me as well as I had hoped. It's a satire on Hollywood, the film industry and it's related tropes, all set in the voice of Gordy LaSure, a fictional film maverick. He's a big fan of the 80s/90s style blockbuster action movies and doesn't have much time for anything else, and sadly it makes the book feel a bit one note to me. I know it's satire, I know it's all making fun of the movie making machine, but after the 8th 'haha women are ridiculous aren't they!?' joke, you kinda get the point. Ayoade references the fact that it is repetitive, but just because something is aware of it's faults it doesn't absolve them. It's not a bad book, I felt like it just suffered from doing the same jokes over and over again and although the book is a pretty short and easy read, (there's so much unused space, it's a lot shorter than the page count suggests) a lot of the sections felt repetitive for me. I did however love all the comments that Richard Ayoade added in the footnotes as addendum's to Gordy's rants. It's a funny book. There's a great Campbell soup joke in there somewhere that I can't remember now, but reading it in small chunks would probably be better than trying to plow through it and might help fight off some of those repetitive jokes I was speaking of. Still, Ayoade is a genius and I love him.
Blog / Twitter
November 8, 2017
This book has a lot of blank space in it. I mean a LOT. Some chapters are only a line or two long, others conveniently just over a page long. Don't be fooled by this book's apparent heft, it could probably have been condensed down to a pamphlet.
Embarking on this project the author should have considered his carbon footprint, but presumably his desire to meet the publisher's minimum page count with as little work as possible superseded his moral obligation to future generations' environmental well being.
In order to prolong the reading process I read the book in Ayoade's voice (In my head). I am aware that the book is written in character as Gordy LaSure, however, having been exposed to Ayoade's various acting attempts I made the pretty safe assumption that LaSure's voice and manner would differ little from Ayoade's own.
That said, what writing there is is enjoyable. Five Stars.
Embarking on this project the author should have considered his carbon footprint, but presumably his desire to meet the publisher's minimum page count with as little work as possible superseded his moral obligation to future generations' environmental well being.
In order to prolong the reading process I read the book in Ayoade's voice (In my head). I am aware that the book is written in character as Gordy LaSure, however, having been exposed to Ayoade's various acting attempts I made the pretty safe assumption that LaSure's voice and manner would differ little from Ayoade's own.
That said, what writing there is is enjoyable. Five Stars.
January 23, 2019
When I reread books, Goodreads deletes the first date on which I read it, and now I don't know when I first read this. I know it was some time last year. But I'm approximating this one too-- all this is retroactive population from some time in late October when I stopped posting on Goodreads because the app just sucks. But damn, do I love this book and Richard Ayoade. Hyperactive, histrionic, a lot of laughing out loud. Pure joy.
August 20, 2022
I just liked the cover and the subject matter. I don't care about Ayoade – and it had an effect on my reading. I love film so much. All film, from Art House to blockbusters. My favourite films are Jurassic Park and Fanny & Alexander, that tells everything. So I read a lot about film.
This gave me multiple things. Entertainment, yes. Cringe, yes.
Ayoade is a relic, an edgelord, a recycler of jokes and a misogynist racist – as a joke.
Still, kinda fun. Not to be taken seriously.
This gave me multiple things. Entertainment, yes. Cringe, yes.
Ayoade is a relic, an edgelord, a recycler of jokes and a misogynist racist – as a joke.
Still, kinda fun. Not to be taken seriously.
August 22, 2022
Richard Ayoade is the funniest guy at the party, but you may have to wait for him to have a few drinks. Here he creates the character of Gordy Lasure, Jack of all film, master of none.... Who ends up sounding like Ayoade counting up the alphabet with one witticism per page. Literally. Was there an editor? Or are we just printing to word count that makes the check clear?
February 14, 2023
"Many myths involve a character being changed into an animal, such as a frog. Because being a frog is totally limiting. Sure, it might be nice to hope a little better, but you can't get a restaurant reservation. You can't even get a driver's license!"
Such a bummer, this just did not work for me.
Such a bummer, this just did not work for me.
August 2, 2019
I like Richard Ayoade- as a filmmaker, comedian and writer, and enjoyed his previous film book. This was a disappointment for me. The premise is it’s written by a movie maverick ‘Gordy LaSure’ and Ayoade is providing the footnotes. The book is an A-Z (almost) of LaSure’s views on various aspects of film, based, and referencing a small number of ‘good’ movies (Roadhouse, three days to kill, raw deal and the Segal/Norris movies mostly). The problems for me were that the observations weren’t that funny, the tone wasn’t consistent, and the persona of the LaSure character was just too random: one moment a semi-literate redneck (although from Glasgow) the next, making comparisons to Dali paintings. Subject topics and style are similarly random and sketchy. There are lots of side comments about the contractual nature of the book, but it did, unfortunately, feel like it. It felt like a low-quality version of Joe Bob Briggs, or at times an attempt at Joe Queenan’s much funnier considerations of big dumb films. There are a couple of smiles, but overall, better off looking at the types of humorous works this appears to be influenced by, and paying homage, to.
December 28, 2018
might not be for everyone but I laughed and I love comics. If you ever been in a comic store then you have met a fair share of gordy LaSure. but thanks for introducing me to the words private length. that is going into the lexicon.
December 4, 2018
Would have been a decent premise for a much shorter book, but there's only so many times you can reference Raw Deal or Roadhouse before the joke starts falling seriously flat.
Props for mentioning Lifeforce, though.
Props for mentioning Lifeforce, though.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 238 reviews