The Book of Stars

Just saw this film on cable this afternoon and it was pretty darn good. I just about shed a tear at the end and that hasn't happened for me since I saw "Brians Song" like 20some years ago. Everyone in the small talented cast deserves kudos...

I recently saw this film at the Stony Brook Film Festival. It was a very beautiful and emotional film. Jena Malone's performance was incredible. I'm sure we are going to see a lot of her in the future. I was fortunate to speak with Jena at the reception before the screening and I was amazed by her intelligence and poise. I also spoke with the director, Michael Miner, known for writing the Robocop films. It was obvious that this was a labor of love for him and he did a wonderful job. Mary Stuart Masterson's performance is one of her best. Delroy Lindo also provides capable support and Karl Geary gives a great performance as a Hungarian soldier. His accent was amazing. He must of had a good dialect coach considering he is from Ireland.

Not many movies makes me cry, this one did. Jena Malone is just so amazing in this film, as always ;-) There's nothing bad with this movie, the actors are superbr, the script & plot is o WOW, the story...yeah there's just so much that I love about it and NOTHING that I don't like. I'm going to see another Jena Malone movie right now ;-)

"The Book of Stars" is a tale of two sisters; a 15 year old who is dying (Malone) and an older sib (Masterson) who turns to prostitution to pay medical expenses while trying to cope emotionally. With the look and feel of a low budget indie, "Book..." comes off like a weeper with a purpose although that purpose never quite crystallizes in spite of a brief narrated explanation at the end. The film showcases some solid performances by its ensemble cast and has many poignant moments which make it a worthwhile watch. However, the attempt to be visually poetic and work the "star" angle is nebulous (no pun) and a little less window dressing might have worked better though the final product does show sensitivity, heart, and compassion. An okay watch best saved for cable.

Wonderful story and excellent acting. I saw it at the SxSW film festival in Austin and loved it. Worth seeing any way you can. The ONLY flaw is the one or two unnecessarily overdone special effects. Very cool love story and portrayal of two sisters and their relationship.