Book of Stars stars Jena Malone (as Mary McGuire)and Mary Stuart Masterson (as Penny), two sisters who have to somehow confront what life throws at them. Little Marry is sick with lung cancer, while her sister Penny works as a prostitute to support them both. A scrapbook which they both keep as a journal somehow serves to keep the film together. Kristjan, played by a dream-like Bella Lugosiesque (In the best sense) Karl Geary after a short time befriends the two of them, especially the little girl, and brings a kind of warmth and honesty to their lives from the outside.
It seems like Penny has also published a book of poetry about the Sun, which a convict reads and writes to her about. There is also "The professor," played by Delroy Lindo, who is concerned about both Penny and Mary, and isn't shy about giving life-lectures at every opportunity. The film concludes with Mary passing away, and the ex-con, who was actually in prison due to some forgiving circumstances, showing up on Penny's doorstep.
I suppose taking an overview of this film would strongly suggest that there simply isn't enough plot in this film to make it complete, which is to say there aren't enough real beats to move the story in any particular direction, even to Mary's demise. It is somehow a priori that Marry will die, so the film doesn't really "go anywhere." This is the reason why, I think, the film continually uses such cliché filmic devices such as short montage, with light jazz no less, which immediately puts it into the After School Special category, but another problem is the themes dealt with are adult.
This film, however, has a couple really great things going for it. The fact that it is shot on film; and the cinematography is commendable, as are some o the of individual shots, which are incredible. Take the short scene when Mary takes a pill, goes to sleep, and starts to hallucinate an astronaut suspended in space who at the end will lead her into the nether world. This shot is mind-blowing, such abrupt cinematic perfection can stun one into silence. It is true what they say that grand cinematic effects can now be achieved at a low budget, Zathura being one of the prime and perhaps seminal examples. The entire space motif is commendable, but only works somehow in separate parts, which are images, rather than in one complete unifying way.
Sentimental is a word, I think, that describes this film well. There isn't enough cement in the form of plot beats to solidify and manifest this melodrama's intentions. As far as I can remember there is no viable set up, and the pay off is marginal. With everything said, I like this film. Unlike so many others that have no message at all, this one has a broad theme of love and acceptance. Many, many filmmakers, do much much worse.
6/10
It seems like Penny has also published a book of poetry about the Sun, which a convict reads and writes to her about. There is also "The professor," played by Delroy Lindo, who is concerned about both Penny and Mary, and isn't shy about giving life-lectures at every opportunity. The film concludes with Mary passing away, and the ex-con, who was actually in prison due to some forgiving circumstances, showing up on Penny's doorstep.
I suppose taking an overview of this film would strongly suggest that there simply isn't enough plot in this film to make it complete, which is to say there aren't enough real beats to move the story in any particular direction, even to Mary's demise. It is somehow a priori that Marry will die, so the film doesn't really "go anywhere." This is the reason why, I think, the film continually uses such cliché filmic devices such as short montage, with light jazz no less, which immediately puts it into the After School Special category, but another problem is the themes dealt with are adult.
This film, however, has a couple really great things going for it. The fact that it is shot on film; and the cinematography is commendable, as are some o the of individual shots, which are incredible. Take the short scene when Mary takes a pill, goes to sleep, and starts to hallucinate an astronaut suspended in space who at the end will lead her into the nether world. This shot is mind-blowing, such abrupt cinematic perfection can stun one into silence. It is true what they say that grand cinematic effects can now be achieved at a low budget, Zathura being one of the prime and perhaps seminal examples. The entire space motif is commendable, but only works somehow in separate parts, which are images, rather than in one complete unifying way.
Sentimental is a word, I think, that describes this film well. There isn't enough cement in the form of plot beats to solidify and manifest this melodrama's intentions. As far as I can remember there is no viable set up, and the pay off is marginal. With everything said, I like this film. Unlike so many others that have no message at all, this one has a broad theme of love and acceptance. Many, many filmmakers, do much much worse.
6/10