Mon année à New York

This is quiet and lovely; I don't understand the low score.

A heartwarming story about someone trying to understand their inner self. This feels like real life with the daily struggles, the ups and downs, the sadness, the constant search for happiness and those tiny little moments when you realize who you are and what you want. Those moments when everything makes sense and you feel in control. I live for those moments.

This film starts off a bit slow and hard to follow until you start to feel you are back in that time of your life when you had your first notable job. The story unfolds and you start to care about the depth of the cast. The music accompanies the scenes nicely. The images of New York are always appreciated by me. This is a gentle movie for those who appreciate writers, books and agents.

This film isn't a whirlwind of entertainment-much like the book. It's a leisurely Sunday read in the sun, accompanied by a gentle breeze. Or a late-night Saturday movie when the full moon keeps you awake. Wonderfully acted and grounded in realism, it thrives on sharp, engaging dialogue. Sigourney Weaver carries both herself and the film with every appearance, while Margaret Qualley is an absolute delight - she's undoubtedly going places.

Read the book and watch the film. Or watch the film and read the book. The order doesn't matter. This is a story for all book lovers, whether they've spent time with The Catcher in the Rye or not. A solid 7/10.

Most people reviewing this film - understandably - look to it to be an examination of the world of New York literary agents, J.D. Salinger's work, aspiring writers, or some combination of all the above. Who can say - but it seems clear from seeing it just now (on its U.S. release) that it's a movie not principally concerned about those other things, but rather about its own central character, Joana Rakoff (as played by Margaret Qualley). It is, after all, *Joanna's* Salinger Year - not those other folks'; it's concerned with her *experience* of those things - not the things themselves. I find the movie to be highly underrated; indeed, it's got a few really standout moments (mostly things that play out in the confines of Joanna's mind) - as well as some good, solid performances. If you take it purely as a story of personal growth and development, *set against* the backdrop of the NY literary world, I think you'll enjoy it, as I did. It's "subtle," to be sure - but who needs sledgehammers? (Save that for "My Sledgehammer Year.")