Ms. M and I saw "Bestseller" at the Woodland in Grand Rapids on June 11th, and had a great time.
The film hangs together well as a whole, including superior sound, music choices and cinematography decisions. It was clear that post- production processes were given careful attention. At first we wondered why the camera's focus was so tight as to not include people's entire heads, but that creates a sense of claustrophobic limitation of frame of reference which serves the story. By the end we agreed it was the best way to go.
Almost immediately we recognized a Hitchcock-like tone. The early family-involved scenes seeming like an tribute echo to late 1950s/early 1960s style filmmaking. We were drawn in quickly. Ms. M. said that worrying about what might happen to the lead character reminded her of the dread she felt while watching Misery. In other words, the thrill is in there like you'd want.
The lead, Melissa Anschutz, carries the ball admirably. Given her screen time, there would have been trouble in less capable hands. She keeps the premise's credibility and the sense of rising tension in place without wearing the audience out. D.J. Perry especially rocked out the set of scenes where his character arrives as a possible savior. The irony was amusing, hearing that character run down another writer within the story. Ralph Lister's performance was marvelous, but he doesn't have quite the screen time I'd like to air out such a deliciously complex character.
I only write honest reviews, so it has to be said that the dialogue was a bit unimaginative in a couple sequences, particularly while there was a lot of action happening, though most of the time it was fine.
We sat through all the credits, not because we don't have lives, but because we're very familiar with Petoskey and the surrounding area where "Bestseller" was primarily filmed. Ms. M. is sometimes spotted by her fans at the Roast and Toast, whereas I recognized MacLean and Eakin from a reading I was once involved in. The production team thanked everyone, and gave contact information where relevant—a sign of a class operation.
"Bestseller" has the goods that we look for in a thriller. We wanted an escape, and "Bestseller" delivered. And I can totally see rejected writers losing their damn minds out in the woods. But it's just a story. Check this one out, amigos y amigas.
