Page 26 - Boca Club News - October '23

Page 26, Boca Club News
Book Review: “About Face”

By Nils A. Shapiro convinced her dialogue pleased the author no end when she came up with it. For
Although I would like to believe would serve as the script one of the main characters is a once-beautiful young society
that a recommendation from me for a film and her narrative woman whose face has been disfigured, what we assume to
would be enough for some readers of as detailed instructions for be by excessive cosmetic surgery—a fact of great significance
this column to consider this month’s the set designer. in a story line that includes three murders, the illegal hauling
book selection deserving of your As for the setting? Leon and storage of nuclear and other toxic waste, and the pollution
own time and attention, I can think was born in Montclair, of Venice’s canals as other garbage piles up on city streets
of nothing more convincing than this New Jersey, but has lived uncollected by gang-controlled truckers…even as the wealthy
stunning fact: in Venice for the past more plan how to turn this into investment opportunities.
“About Face” is one of 33 detective novels written by than 25 years, and it shows: For those already hooked on Commissario Guido Brunetti
author Donna Leon about her leading character, Commissario Time Magazine noted, “No and his associates in Venice’s Police Department—and who
Guido Brunetti, who solves mysteries in his hometown of one knows the labyrinthine are familiar with Brunetti’s charming and wise wife, Paola,
Venice, Italy…and these novels have won a sizable enough world of Venice or the way and her wealthy Count and Countess parents (here, Comte
fan base to support 33 novels about the same character! favoritism and corruption and Comtessa)—this fast-paced novel introduces a new and
Having read this one example of author Donna Leon’s shape Italian life like fascinating cast of characters and surprise ending.
work, I can readily understand what has made her books Leon’s Brunetti.” Next, you will be looking for another of Donna Leon’s
so appealing. To begin with, she is so observant and her The title of this book, “About Face,” published halfway Guido Brunetti mysteries. There are certainly many waiting
writing style so visually descriptive that you find yourself through the series in 2009, is a play on words that must have for you…or, rather, us.
Film Review: “Choose Love”

By Nils A. Shapiro This is not a great film. It For a running Second Thoughts: My wife, Linda, who watched
isn’t even a particularly good time that claimed to the film with me, had her own opinion. She felt that the
For this film film. In fact, I never got to be one hour and 17 Director and Screenwriter got the whole thing wrong: It
you, the viewer, actually see the ending! So minutes, I decided isn’t Cami who deserves our constant decision-making
direct the story line why have I selected it to review after a little over two device throughout “Choose Love,” it’s her faithful
and the ending. for this month’s column? For hours—with no way boyfriend of three years, Paul, an attractive, successful
the same reason I decided to to find an ending young attorney who adores Cami and has surprised her
watch it myself when I came across the description of it to the film—that with an engagement ring and proposal of marriage!
while browsing on Netflix: an identification of “Choose my best bet was to What is he doing with a girl who can’t make a decision
Love” as the streaming network’s first Interactive film, just turn off my TV. about anything at all, including the most important one in
which I immediately—and correctly—assumed to mean Which is what I did. her life—still considering a swarthy high school ex who
that I as a viewer would have some part to play in what I suspect that always looks like he needs a shave, haircut and bath, and
took place on the screen. the Director, Stuart has told her he doesn’t ever want to have children…or a
If nothing else, that sounded interesting enough to bring M cD onald, and rock star who doesn’t own a home because he is on tour
the film to the attention of this column’s readers. And for Screenwriter Josann all year, flown around on his private plane and living in
someone like me who has never played a video game, the McGibbon, want you to give Cami the happy ending they hotels every day and night.
idea sounded like fun. feel she deserves—with one of the three men. That should Linda would cut the film down to a short feature by
It was. For a while. work to help find the end to the film. In the meantime, giving Paul all the decision he needs with just one click
We are introduced at the opening to a young, you should at least have some fun directing the story with of the remote control: Forget decision-making for Cami.
twentysomething woman, Cami Conway (a cute Laura your little remote control. It’s an interesting twist. Find someone who deserves you.
Marano) who—apparently unsure about the state of *****
her career and present relationship of three years with
boyfriend Paul—is visiting a psychic/fortune teller. Not
to worry, she is assured. The Tarot cards reveal that, very
soon, exciting new love will enter her life.
Sure enough, within the next several scenes she comes
face to face with two prospects:
Jack (Jordi Webber), an old flame from her high school
days—“the one who got away”—who is back in town,
leading protests for humanitarian causes and apparently
interested in picking up where they left off; and,
Rex (Avan Jogra), a British-accented famous rock star
who shows up to record an album at the Sound Studio
where Cami works as a recording engineer and takes a
fancy to her, even inviting her to perform a brief duet with
him on a record when he learns of her long ago abandoned
dream of a singing career.
By now Cami has already looked straight at me, in
front of my TV, several times asking for help while on
the screen two or three options appear for me to click on
with my TV remote control. When she first spots Jack,
should she approach him or walk away? (After all, she
is in a serious relationship with Paul.) When Paul shows
up with an engagement ring, should she accept it as her
commitment of marriage? Should Cami quit her job or
ask for a raise? When Rex invites Cami to San Francisco
to sing with him at one of his appearances, should she
accept or be honest and explain her relationship with
Paul? Cami’s requests for your help keep coming, so you
need to keep your remote control ready in hand.
At many points throughout the film the decisions you
make for Cami determine the path that the film takes from
that point on…until the next decision you have to make…
and so on and so on.
It boggles the mind to imagine the number of script
changes and scenes that had to be filmed in order to
complete the production of “Choose Love.”
The problem for me, however, turned out to be a
serious one. Since I didn’t select any of the “love choices”
available to Cami and opted to see all three possibilities
play out (although I did personally prefer one above the
others), the version of the film I watched offered no ending!