- Kindle: 2776 KB
- Print: 295 pages
- Publisher: Little A (October 15, 2013)
- ASIN: B00CLIK6NK
The actors in James Franco’s brilliant debut novel include a McDonald’s drive-thru operator who spends his shift trying on accents; an ex-child star recalling a massive beach-side bacchanal; hospital volunteers and Midwestern transplants; a vampire flick starlet who discovers a cryptic book written by a famous actor gone AWOL; and the ghost of River Phoenix. Then there’s Franco himself, who prowls backstage, peering out between the lines—before taking the stage with fascinating meditations on his art, along with nightmarish tales of excess. “Hollywood has always been a private club,” he writes. “I open the gates. I say welcome. I say, Look inside.”
Told in a dizzying array of styles—from lyric essays and disarming testimonials to hilariously rambling text messages and ghostly footnotes—and loosely modeled on Alcoholics Anonymous’s Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, Actors Anonymous is an intense, wild ride into the dark heart of celebrity.
James Franco is an actor, director, screenwriter, and artist. His film appearances include "Milk," "Pineapple Express," the "Spider-Man" trilogy, and upcoming appearances in "Eat, Pray, Love," and "Howl," in which he portrays beat poet Allen Ginsberg. On television, he starred in the critically acclaimed series "Freaks and Geeks." Franco has also written, directed and starred in several short plays, two of which -- "Fool's Gold" and "The Ape" -- he adapted into feature-length films. He also wrote and directed the film "Good Time Max." Franco will be participating in an upcoming gallery show at Deitch Projects in New York, and his writing has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, McSweeney's, and other publications.
REVIEW:
Meh.
I wanted to like this book, I mean, I LOVE James Franco. The premise was pretty interesting too, and unheard of. Still, the book fell flat for me.
It was a fictional book of short stories, it was supposed to be thespians that were not famous yet. Each story was a vignette of how they cycle around acting, tryouts, casting calls and more. Stories from their every day norm, and how they get through life.
I found that almost every story had a sexual side to it, or was about things I felt uncomfortable reading about. I didn't need to know half of what was told, especially who was doing who.
There was a moment where James was telling his story, but being fiction, you quickly realize it's him but he's talking drivel. So I lost interest.
I would enjoy a memoir much more, that's clear. Fiction is not his forte in my opinion. He should stick to acting.
1/5
I wanted to like this book, I mean, I LOVE James Franco. The premise was pretty interesting too, and unheard of. Still, the book fell flat for me.
It was a fictional book of short stories, it was supposed to be thespians that were not famous yet. Each story was a vignette of how they cycle around acting, tryouts, casting calls and more. Stories from their every day norm, and how they get through life.
I found that almost every story had a sexual side to it, or was about things I felt uncomfortable reading about. I didn't need to know half of what was told, especially who was doing who.
There was a moment where James was telling his story, but being fiction, you quickly realize it's him but he's talking drivel. So I lost interest.
I would enjoy a memoir much more, that's clear. Fiction is not his forte in my opinion. He should stick to acting.
1/5
**Compensation may be earned from the links within. This copy was purchased. Opinions are owned by Freda's Voice.
That book sounds disappointing and with his wealth he can hire excellent writing and editing help, and probably did.
ReplyDeleteToo bad.
ReplyDelete