A Little White Lie

I give it a 7 1/2. You might not recognize the lead actor's name "Michael Shannon" but you will recognize him in the movie. He did a marvelous job in a complex role. Just the right amounts of understatement, humor, and insight in his role. His acting made you feel for his situation and made you want him to succeed.

Kate Hudson did a very good job in her role. She was believable, funny, and showed she could act, not just play Kate Hudson.

All of the other actors were excellent in their supporting roles.

The girl who plays the hotel clerk hit it out of the park with her understated performance. Only on screen for a couple of scenes but you can recognize her from every hotel you've stayed at.

The story line is funny, the directing is good, and the movie has good pace. You never look at the clock and wonder how much longer is the movie.

I don't get the low reviews because it is well acted, funny, and very entertaining.

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.

A very inspiring, and lovingly made, testament to humanity and the literary alter at which we are able to embrace our being in all of the faults that make up our perfection as a species. Based on Chris Belden's novel "Shriver", writer-directer Michael Maren, and the entire cast and production staff through their hard work, have brought a bountiful feast of food for the soul to the motion picture screen (be it a cinema screen or on a laptop). If you love how words can be turned into music, or even if there is not enough time in the day to read much, the characters in this film and their predicaments certainly resonate with all of us. My hat is off as I bow to this troupe of filmmakers to offer my gratitude. Thank you. And as a final note to my long lost friend Lynn, who has spent her entire life avoiding putting her words on paper, it is never too late to put ink to quill. Catharsis for writer and reader awaits. ***NOTE*** I did not mention the amazing actors by name in this picture because every one of them in all of their roles empowered this picture with their truly heartfelt and well tuned performances, no matter if they worked for just one day or the entire run of the project. In short, the actors are great across the board, one and all bringing life to this work of love.

"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.

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.