Customer Reviews

Drinking at the Movies

5 star:		(42)
4 star:		(24)
3 star:		(11)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I first came upon Julia Wertz when she edited (and contributed to) I Saw You.... Even in those precious few panels, I knew I had a winner. Self-deprecating to a fault (is that a pun), honest and (don't take this as a backhand) only mildly funny. To me, that last bit made her comics that much more authentic and real and, while I haven't gone out of my way to track down her works, I HAVE been keeping an eye out for whenever they cross my path... as they did so in Drinking at the Movies.

Here we have Julia's tale of New York pseudo-bohemianism. Have I invented a new and impressive term for the paradigm? No... no, I haven't... I just don't know how else to describe her experiences in NYC without falling onto some fake verbage.

From her decision to take the plunge to her drinking problems to her comparisons and homesickness for San Francisco and everything in between, Drinking at the Movies is like watching my life as a car wreck in slow motion... if I were a woman and any amount braver than I am now (being deathly afraid to take a step in any direction, lifeward). And when I say that, I don't mean we're the same people seperated by gender and courage... what I mean is... well, there's a situation for just about every post-twentysomething still trying to find their place in the world to identify with.

Now, let me warn you... if you've never read any of Julia's work before, the art can put you off. Her style is rough. Definitely more mature than a good many indie comicers out there, but you can never shake off the feeling that these are all just the doodles of a bored high schooler. For me, that's a plus. Others might not be able to look past it. One particular bit that detracts occurs when her brain obsconds with her common sense and decency, literally leaving her cranium... forcing a doodle Sherlock Holmes and Dr.Watson to find it. Art-wise, it was annoying... and, to me, it didn't help narrative-wise, either.

Still... as an indie-autobiography, Drinking at the Movies works. I enjoyed it and would recommend it to any post-grad out there who still feels like a failure at life.

Cheers, and I look forward to your next book, Julia~

Back before cell phones, youtube and a large-scale American presence in the Middle East (yes, the late 80s and first months of the 90s), I read Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, what at the time I thought of as the battle cry of my generation. What a difference 20 years makes. Reading _Drinking at the Movies_ brought back those halcyon days that I have so romanticized, reminding me of just how awful those post-college years can be.

Julia Wertz vividly, humorously and self-depreciatingly bares her soul as she makes the decision to leave all that is familar (San Francisco) taking a leap of faith and moving to New York City. The crappy jobs, the listlesness and restlessness of early adulthood were all brought back to me as she illustrated her struggles to make her way in the world. As with all of us, there is a happy ending, but the learning curve is steep and there (naturally) a few missteps. While it would be hyperbole to describe the book as "The Graduate" for the millennial generation, I am absolutely certain her graphic novel will strike a chord with her peers as it did with me thinking back to a similar time in my life.

I didn't care for this book at all, so I gave it to my 20YO daughter who I think is more the intended audience. This is what she had to say:
The artwork to me was a major problem. I could not get past her rough style, which looked like the doodles of a high school kid in a boring class. That being said, there are redeemable qualities. The plot was a bit like The Alchemist, where the protagonist goes off in search of something better after hitting a slow and familiar point in their life. Unlike The Alchemist however, Julia Wertz may never have found enlightenment. She is a just moved out kid working low class jobs, and just barely making rent. Her story is going from San Fran to NY, and all the mishaps and thoughtful moments along that road. It's an interesting story; she has a rough look on life, and it shows in her stories. She constantly berates herself, and criticizes her every move. This makes her comics more realistic, and easier to relate to. She, like many, has no idea. And she does not pretend to have an idea either.
The prevailing mood of the book is one of apathy. There are no real highs or lows of feeling or character. It's a kind of numbness wrapped in a few funny comments. Sometimes she's too realistic to be perceived as funny, which just lends to the aforementioned realism of her book.
I feel that this was a worthwhile read, although my life was not changed by it, and I certainly could have lived without it. I may keep an eye out for her other works though.

I bought this book at a comic book store and well... I wish I hadnt. It is the most boring meaningless book ever. I know she's not famous but this shouldnt even be made into a book. Its random, not funny and it expands on meaningless subjects. I don't know how she got nominated for anything. If you think your life is boring, this book captures all those momments and tries to make them intresting. Not worth the money.

I finally read Julia Wertz's Drinking at the Movies, and I nearly laughed my head off. Written in a graphic novel format, it follows the author through many changes in her life, from moving to New York from California, then moving back again. Along the way she encounters everything from strange neighbors to having things go missing, and she writes about it all with a dry sense of humor. (I can only hope to have the same sense of humor about some of the things that have gone on in my life!)

All in all, a wonderful read.

This is an autobiographical comic about Julia Wertz's move from San Francisco to New York in her early 20s and the trials and tribulations associated with the transition, as well as the foibles of her own life, friends, and family.

While there are several stories of persons moving to the big city, it's not so much the story as it is the reactions of the characters or the main character in the story that make it stand out. "Drinking at the Movies" works as a great comic book read because Julia Wertz is such a pleasant, funny, and original person to tell that story.

It might be coloured by the fact that I too am in my 20s and have gone through a lot of what Wertz went through, but while there's a lot of things anyone who grows up in their 20s in a big city can relate to, Wertz's humour colours the experience from an alien, disturbing one to a charming and humour filled catalogue of short stories.

Wertz herself is very open about the kind of person she is - awkward, uninterested in "girly" things, likes to be alone, likes junk food and alcohol far too much, is unconcerned with relationships, and has an aversion to work in favour of the kind of whimsy and freedom being an artist brings (and the near poverty standard of living as well). I found myself thinking of the kind of cool, cute girls I knew in high school who never felt beautiful even though they were or confident in themselves or their abilities, and thinking Wertz must have been one of them, and that this book is testament to those qualities.

In terms of art style it's quite simple with panels used, and it reminded me of Jeffrey Brown's drawing style, and the diary format along with the exuberance of life was reminiscent of James Kochalka's "American Elf" comic. It's a style that's disarmingly straightforward but really effective in this kind of storytelling.

I really enjoyed the book and genuinely laughed at a few of the stories in here. It never felt boring or too self-absorbed as the artist is too self-aware to allow that kind of naval gazing. A great read for fans of indie comics, I highly recommend giving this book a chance - I'm glad I did.

Drinking at the Movies is a nice, short graphic novel about funny, sad and sometimes weird events that happen in a specific period in the author's life. Wertz has a really dry, self-deprecating sense of humor that shines through her words, and makes you laugh right along with her. She's not afraid to share personal woes and she presents them right along side funny anecdotes with charming illustrations. It's definitely worth the read if you like off-beat humor and personal stories.

OK, full disclosure- I am generally not a big fan of graphic novels and apparently did not read the product description well prior to ordering this. However, I was pleasantly suprised with a funny, touching read. The author/artist presented her story and travels in a relatable way and it was an easy read. However, the drawings sometimes felt pretty rough to me, more like doodles. I imagine those who are true fans of the graphic novel medium would have some issues with the lack of polish, but those who read it for the humor and story should enjoy!

`Drinking at the Movies' is a coming of age memoir in graphic format. Wertz is the author/artist who created the `Fart Party' comics. This book follows a year of her life when she moved from San Francisco to New York City, as she deals with serial unemployment, being broke, a brother who keeps ODing and going into rehab, a bad whisky habit, a comic strip she's producing and a basic dislike for a good lot of humanity. The humor ranges from silly to dark, and Wertz is unsparing of herself and her flaws. It's funny and touching.

This was the first book I've read from Julia Wertz, and I must admit, the alcoholic in me was intrigued by the title, and the indie comic fan in me was wondering if the book would deliver. For who I am, where I am, I found this story at just the right time. If you've ever picked up stakes and moved to some foreign place, faced with the worry of rent, bills, and general month-to-month financial surprises, still unsure about what you're doing with your life and where it's currently going, get this book. There's something strangely calming about reading someone else's testament to the real world and coping with the joys and pitfalls of independence. Constantly moving between apathy and general depression, all with self-deprecating humor and the occasional small-victory joy, there's a comfort knowing that others have in fact been where you are ( often in even deeper trenches than you're in now) and being able to see an albeit romanticized view of the trials and tribulations you and others are, are going to, and have been through. It's the idea of knowing that in a world of rule followers, and breakers, there is a path for the middle-minded, and you might even come out on the other side alive, if not thriving. Excuse the optimism in these too-dark times, sometimes getting by is more than enough. Contrasted by an environment somewhat paralleled today, being that the back drop is early thousand's bush era and the current fallout of today, it gives neither heavy weight or ignorance of what was happening, and therefore not overly political. Which is good, in our current trend of finger pointing and placing blame, we often miss the everyman's ( in this case, everywoman's) real world perspective of " Well, it happened. How am I going to deal with it?"; which is a good way to summarize this tome's general message and endearing traits- Life happens, How are you going to cope, weirdo? Unblinking in her own flaws and follies, you get an intimate look into someone else's life and their dealings with the world's plan, instead of some glossed-over drama piece where everyone is a movie star with the right line or appropriate pause when speechlessness grabs them. Pick this up and read a few pages, and you'll be faced with a problem I'm sure the author remembers all too well- I NEED this book, but I really need to check my bank account first. Oh well, screw it. Pick it up and enjoy it. It'll be worth the ramen cuisine til next pay day. Hunger and humor are the best spice when you're looking at an empty bank account.