The Book of the Film of the Story of My Life

by William Brandt

Originally published in New Zealand and in the UK, Brandt's hilarious first novel about life, love, and the film business delves into the mind and mystery of the modern adult male.

Genres: Fiction, Humor

334 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Blowersdaughter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Se la tua vita fosse un film, di che genere sarebbe? Quella di Frederick, il protagonista 42enne in crisi di questo romanzo, è un po' commedia e un po' dramma esistenziale. Divertente soprattutto nella parte centrale, si legge alla svelta.

If your life were a movie, what genre would it be? Frederick's, the 42-year-old main character in this book, is part comedy, part existential drama. A fun and quick read, better in the second half.

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A sucker for a wonderfully clever title, I had to have this one. I also love to get titles that are not-yet discovered by Goodreads, and this one fit that bill, as well, with only eight written reviews.

But, man! What an odd story. I re-read the synopsis on the back cover, and don't think that it summarizes it properly. There is Frederick, the awkward main character, who is a producer by trade, and more than a little desperate in numerous areas of his life. Sophie is his estranged wife, and up-and-coming actress, famous for performing the first blow-job on screen in a mainstream film. Matt is her latest costar, a gorgeous ladies man, who is also married and the father of three. Melissa is an escort that Frederick hires to accompany him to a party where he will see Sophie and Matt. Truly a cast of odd characters.

The book interjects bits and pieces of screenplays into the story, summarizing what is happening in the storyline. It's a nod to Frederick reading screenplay after screenplay to find the "next one". The story goes back and forth between several storylines: Frederick and Sophie breaking up, Frederick meeting Melissa, Frederick's odd encounter with a prisoner, and the lavish party that serves as the climax to the book.

All-in-all, none of them are well done. There is a feeling that the author wanted to write a fully-rounded book, touching on all of the aspects of a moment in time of a person's life, but that is impossible to do with so many threads in just over 300 pages. Frederick and Sophie's relationship didn't present anything that would cause me to care about either of them. Sophie's relationship with Matt, as well as his relationship with his family, was the same - I had no investment in any of them succeeding. Frederick's friends at the party seemed like caricatures: the new parents (would you really bring your baby on such a hedonistic trip to paradise?), an obviously jealous boss who refuses to speak to Frederick because he brought Melissa, and everyone overly interested in what was going on with Frederick and Melissa, always staring at the two of them. Weird. Finally, it seems that the most realistic character was Melissa, who called a spade a spade, and was very proud of her job as a prostitute, as well as aspiring to be a porn movie star. That was the most realistic? See what I mean?

It was all a glimpse into lives that seemed too far-fetched and ridiculous to cause any kind of empathy, sympathy, or investment of any kind. For me, it was eye roll after eye roll.

Not recommended.

[Michaela Cherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

strangest book i’ve ever read, not in a bad way.

[Steve Mccabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, sharply written, at times slightly self-consciously kiwi. A rambling narrative about the breakup of a marriage, with some decently sympathetic and funny characters. Not the last word in literature, but certainly there are worse ways of spending a few hours.

[Knittingprimate · Rating 4 out of 5]

It had been a while since I read this book, but it kept me laughing the whole way through. Some plot elements were a little cheesy, but the character was an enjoyable anti-hero. I have recommended this book to many others.

[Billy Maise · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh.
Occasionally funny.
Dark.
Strange.

[Michelle]

read it because we met the author at a luncheon. very nice guy. good story, funny, but the characters' lifestyles are too promiscuous for my taste.....!

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, lots of New Zealand references.

[Marsha Snyder · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny and strange.

[Dean Garen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very funny, an almost TOO real book at times while remaining so pleasingly fictitious. There's many a good lesson and many more a good laugh in this book , well worth the time.