A Little White Lie

This movie is brilliant. It nails imposter syndrome and the writing community at large. It brought me back to my own days in an MFA program without ever delving into nostalgia. It shows the pain, irony, jealousy, and annoying life of modern writers and writing students.

It is a satire of imposter syndrome and the writing community. Understanding that helps what might seem like a strange story make sense. It kept me cringing, empathizing, hoping, and ultimately encouraged. I highly recommend, and I would show this movie to my writing students-or have them read the book, which, as the movie explains, writing students tend not to enjoy.

Had never heard of this film, but my husband and I decided to watch it the other day, and we were both completely blown away! What a very, very good film. We were expecting just a light rom-com, but this was so much deeper than that. Lots of rom-com qualities to it, but at the same time - a sublime and fascinating drama. As the storyline progresses, and you begin to understand Michael Shannon's character a bit more, it becomes evident what a remarkable job he has done in portraying the reclusive "Shriver." We have watched a lot of movies over the past couple of years, and this may be the BEST of all of them!

"I only wonder if your little deception plays out as a comedy or a tragedy......... Is there any difference?"

It starts out a little slow but I couldn't look away wondering where it was all going. As it moves along it keeps you wondering who is the real writer Shriver. It is a comedy and a funny look at the world of writing. I liked it. I really liked Michael Shannon in this as well as the familiar faces of Don Johnson, Kate Hudson and M. Emmet Walsh.

Is it a Hollywood Blockbuster? No. Is it for everyone? No. But if you have any interest in writing, reading Novels or Michael Shannon it is worth a watch.

My first recollection of actor Michael Shannon was in the 1993 "Groundhog Day" when he was still a teenager playing Fred, a newlywed who was given tickets to WrestleMania by Bill Murray's Phil. Since then I have seen him in almost 40 movies in a great variety of roles, often unsung, he has become a quite accomplished actor.

Here he is Shriver, working as a janitor and in general leading a very dull life. By chance he has the same name as a famous but reclusive author who has dropped off the radar since his first and only book was a resounding success.

Kate Hudson is Simone Cleary, a former writer but now a literature and writing professor at a private college in the Los Angeles area. She is in change of an annual event on campus to inspire future writers and she is trying to get the author, Shriver, to be the guest this year.

Janitor Shriver is reluctant and scared, there may be some benefit to his agreeing to go and impersonate the real Shriver, and eventually decides to get on the plane and take them up on the invitation.

Most of the story is a fish out of water, this Shriver has no clue how to interact with the others or what an appropriate response might be to various questions and inquiries. I felt uncomfortable myself for him, wondering how he would be able to navigate the event and the appearances he needed to make.

The script is good and Shannon does a really great job playing the character. Another very entertaining character is played by Don Johnson as professor T. Wasserman. As the story unfolds we start to wonder, "Is this janitor really the author, Shriver, and somehow lost touch with who he really is?"

I really enjoyed this movie, watched at home with my wife, streaming. A quite different movie, done very well.

7.2 stars.

This is the story of a man who is living a mundane and pathetic existence. He is supposedly a famous author, and is invited to a convention where many authors, attend, and give lectures and presentations. He is surprised that he was invited, however he shares the same name of this famous author, but he is not that person. Or is he? We do not know if he actually is or is not said author, and the movie aims to confuse us.

At one point it seems he is the author, then it's quite obvious he isn't. Throughout we are left guessing. There are many symbols and metaphors and it's an interesting study of social classes and how they affect attitudes, reputation, mental health. I highly recommend this film. It will leave you pondering the life of all famous writers.