By Matt Pascarella
He’s a cranky, retired author who had a big hit 40 years ago. She’s inherited her father’s publishing company and is looking for anything to help the company stay in business. When Stanbridge Publishing convinces Salinger-esque Harris Shaw to go on one final book tour, Lucy Stanbridge did not know what she was embarking on. To be fair, neither did Shaw.
Harris Shaw (Caine) has a well-known reputation for being a recluse. However, this does not stop Lucy (Plaza) from pursuing him to get another book from him to give her publishing company a much-needed boost. According to a contract, Shaw owes Lucy one more book. She breaks into his home to plead her case. It is not well received.
Breaking and entering aside, Shaw is not a nice guy. But for some reason, he drives to Stanbridge Publishing and gives Lucy her “pound of flesh.”
Stanbridge informs him, he now has to go on a book tour. In his first stop on the tour, he flubs it by instead reading from “Penthouse.” He later ends up in jail.
On the next stop, he says everything is drivel, though he uses a different word. Although he is self-sabotaging, people love him. His popularity increases online. Shaw continues to refuse to read from his own book.
And then Shaw’s popularity grinds to a screeching halt. People still want to see him, but only for his antics, not to buy his book.
With Shaw’s book not selling, Stanbridge is being pressured to sell the company by Jack (Speedman) but continues to hold out. She finds a very clever workaround to get Shaw’s words to be heard.
Shaw is not getting any nicer and Stanbridge is struggling. In what could be described as a moment of weakness on Shaw’s part, he tells Stanbridge about his personal life and his wife.
In regard to him finding someone to marry him, he tells her,
“Even the worst of us get lucky.”
From here on out, Shaw softens a little.
You learn a little more about Lucy’s personal life and some revelations are made. Shaw continues to self-sabotage, but the effect is not what he had in mind.
As the movie draws to a close it’s both sweet and sad.
Caine and Plaza are wonderful together. They both need the other for various reasons, but don’t know it. At times being somewhat of a comedic team, with Caine as the straight man.
As a fan of the television series “Parks and Recreation,” it was nice to see Plaza in a non-April Ludgate role. Caine’s transformation from a rather unpleasant fellow to who he is to Lucy at the end of the movie is a heartwarming one.
Although the language and character behaviors, one in particular, can get a bit rocky from time-to-time, this is a good movie. It’s probably not for the whole family, but one worth the time.
Two thumbs up.
Available to rent or on the Starz network. <
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