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Book of Love

  • 2004
  • R
  • 1h 23m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
1.8K
YOUR RATING
Book of Love (2004)
ComedyDrama

Living among fusty academics, an unusual young man gets between a high school history teacher and his wife.Living among fusty academics, an unusual young man gets between a high school history teacher and his wife.Living among fusty academics, an unusual young man gets between a high school history teacher and his wife.

  • Director
    • Alan Brown
  • Writer
    • Alan Brown
  • Stars
    • Frances O'Connor
    • Simon Baker
    • Gregory Smith
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.4/10
    1.8K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Alan Brown
    • Writer
      • Alan Brown
    • Stars
      • Frances O'Connor
      • Simon Baker
      • Gregory Smith
    • 28User reviews
    • 6Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination total

    Photos23

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    Top cast19

    Edit
    Frances O'Connor
    Frances O'Connor
    • Elaine Walker
    Simon Baker
    Simon Baker
    • David Walker
    Gregory Smith
    Gregory Smith
    • Chet Becker
    Bryce Dallas Howard
    Bryce Dallas Howard
    • Heather
    Joanna Adler
    Joanna Adler
    • Melissa
    • (as Joanna P. Adler)
    Sabrina Grdevich
    Sabrina Grdevich
    • Lilian
    Ari Graynor
    Ari Graynor
    • Naomi
    Beth MacDonald
    • Yoga Instructor
    Brett Tabor
    • Coach
    Van Hughes
    Van Hughes
    • Swimmer #1
    C.J. Aker
    • Swimmer #2
    • (as CJ Aker)
    Sherie Melby
    • Swim Team Supporter
    William Declan Rexer
    • Baby
    EJ Scalzi
    EJ Scalzi
    • Bartender…
    Brendan Bradley
    Brendan Bradley
    • Swimmer
    • (uncredited)
    Tiana Idoni-Matthews
    • Student
    • (uncredited)
    Michael Justice
    Michael Justice
    • Swim Team
    • (uncredited)
    Stephen Pollak
    • Swimmer #3
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Alan Brown
    • Writer
      • Alan Brown
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews28

    5.41.8K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    eastcoastguyz

    Another poor concept indie film

    This is another poor concept indie film with songs that distract tossed in. Songs with untalented voices. The film's style gets in its own way. Each scene is way too long. This is the result of a cheap and in-experienced director who is afraid to do editing. Almost every scene needs 1/3 to 1/2 of it cut out. This is not a genre, this is simply bad film-making. Total over use of songs, that makes you reach for the fast-forward button. The story comes across like a half-baked 5 minute short film, with no real ending to it. Instead of focusing on the story line first and make it great, it was simply made longer and the result is very boring. When John Cleese talks about writing the great 1/2 hour Fawlty Towers, he and co-writer Connie Booth spent six week writing each show. They spent 2-3 weeks on just one the plot. This film is totally absent of this kind of attention to deal, hoping that the audience will somehow be confused with the dragged out scenes thinking it is some sort of genre. You find yourself asking yourself what this story is to be about or if there even is a story. The characters, even the husband and wife barely bond together. The two women, they don't come across as a couple really either. When you take a bad story, bad music, bad direction, bad editing and the wrong casting, you end up with a film like this.
    5Lechuguilla

    Forbidden Romance

    A young married couple befriends a lonely teenage boy in an ice cream shop. As the friendship blossoms, romantic feelings develop between the wife and the boy. It's a provocative story with contemporary relevance. Withy a backdrop of New Age philosophy "Book Of Love" explores the impact of this unsettling romance on the three individuals.

    The acting of the three leads is fine. But the screenplay is thin. Even with a runtime of just 83 minutes, there's just not that much substance. Director Alan Brown tries to draw a parallel between the wife's mistakes in judgment and the mistakes of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, a parallel that seems contrived at best. Further, the wife's involvement with the boy lacks a motivational basis, given her current marriage. And her behavior seems way too casual to be credible.

    Nominated for an award at the Sundance Film Festival, "Book Of Love" at least tries to do something daring. It is low-key, and not at all exploitative. The background music is interesting. And, as a low budget film, the production values are credible. On the other hand, the script probably does not have enough conflict or plot complication to engage most viewers. The story seems too direct and too linear to be compelling.
    6claudio_carvalho

    Underrated Romance

    The young couple Elaine Walker (Frances O'Connor) and the history teacher David Walker (Simon Baker) meets a fifteen years old lonely teenager Chet Becker (Gregory Smith) in an ice-cream shop and they become friends. David has a crush on Elaine and they have one night stand. Elaine tells her infidelity to David, and their life is affected by the affair.

    When I saw the very low IMDb rating of "Book of Love", I questioned whether it would be worthwhile watching this movie. Fortunately I decided to see it, since it is a good romance, with some eroticism and a simple story, but a great and credible conclusion. I regret only the thirty-one minutes of trailers in the beginning of the VHS released in Brazil by California Filmes, probably a shameful worldwide record. My vote is six.

    Title (Brazil): "Traição" ("Betrayal")
    Kirpianuscus

    romance

    a bitter one. because , the film propose a provocative moral lesson. correct, not real original, but seductive. a meet between a young man and a couple. the storm, the revelation of crisis, the only reasonable choice. and Cambodgia. not the most convincing performances and a simple story. and few hot scenes. a secret. and the answer who escapes the film from platitude. without be an admirer of it, "Book of love" is a reasonable good film. for questions, for Gregory Smith work, for the exploration, in beautiful manner, of the temptation, sin and the force of secret.
    Vincentiu

    common story. and a drop of spice

    romance, betrayal, history, choices. not remarkable and not so bad. only a common story with few fake moments but with a decent and almost moralistic end. the subject is not new and acting is not always convincing. the script - like a script who desires tell a story without great problems. short - about love and relationship. about dreams and the real life purpose. not boring. but old as idea. only good thing for me - references to Cambodgia. far to be nice. a film who can remains, as few drops in memory only for the cinnamon taste of last scenes. is it enough ? I do not know. but it is a nice opportunity to remember the past/the culture of a magnificent Asian country civilization

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This is the first film Bryce Dallas Howard is credited in that wasn't directed by her father, Ron Howard.
    • Quotes

      Elaine Walker: [singing for David] The book of love is long and boring, no one can lift the damn thing. It's full of charts and facts and figures and instructions for dancing. But I love it when you read to me, and you can read me anything. The book of love is long and boring, and written very long ago. It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes and things we're all too young to know. But I love it when you give me things, and you ought to give me wedding rings. Original song by Magnetic Fields.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Mask Singer (Australie): Episode #3.3 (2021)
    • Soundtracks
      Rock Nation
      Written by: Scott Nickoley and Jamie Dunlap

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    FAQ16

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 18, 2004 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Nights in Phnom Penh
    • Filming locations
      • Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • Robert Ahrens Productions
      • Banner Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 23 minutes
    • Color
      • Color

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