Customer Reviews

With Nails: The Film Diaries of Richard E. Grant

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This is quite an entertaining book that traces Richard E. Grant's career from his very early days in WITHNAIL & I all the way through to his role in the Spice Girls movie, SPICEWORLD. A varied career indeed. It's fascinating to read about his rollercoaster ride through filmmaking, bouncing from gigantic bombs to critical successes in a seemingly random fashion.

This is a captivating look at the behind the scenes activities from several movie sets, yet Grant manages to keep both his feet firmly planted on the ground even when meeting and socializing with the biggest of stars. The result is an often hilarious tour of the madness and method that goes into making films. We encounter several very famous people within this text: Grant parties with Madonna, receives multiple high-fives from Bruce Willis, accepts strange fan-mail from Steve Martin and gets stuck on a never ending film-shoot in Budapest with Sandra Bernhard. Each of them are seen through his grounded eyes and interacted with in his neurotic, slightly sarcastic manner.

Although this is not even a complete account of all (or most) of the films that he has acted in throughout his career, there are a few places where his private life does occasionally intersect on the pages of his diaries. There are some extremely tear-jerking moments, the most moving of which is during the shooting of WITHNAIL & I where he is caught going back and forth between the film work and his wife's pregnancy complications. The book is a whirlwind of emotions and random observations. It's slow and thoughtful during the breaks between shooting, but quickly speeds up to a breakneck pace when the real work begins.

This is a great book for anyone who has the slightest interest in a behind the scenes peek at the movie industry from someone who doesn't have their head already in the clouds. Richard E. Grant shares his philosophies, his outlooks and his wit with us in these diaries and they come highly recommended.

i have always been an avid fan of character actors; they are better than the real thing. Richard E. Grant is a gifted actor who is like everyone, constantly asking the universal questions: "am i doing this right?" and playing through his roles in films and his life by ear. His stories about the stars are strikingly personal and amusing. most of the book is REG vomitting in various embarrassing venues in hollywood in front of various famous people, adding to the amusement of the tale. i especially enjoyed the story about rachel ward's daughters trashing steve martin's house and terrorizing his cats. my only complaint about this book is that REG did not cite som of his other films that he starred in like IN THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY and JACK AND SARAH. but the book is well written and personal, a delight to read on a sunny afternoon.

The book is a fantastic read, both witty and sad in places. Thoroughly enjoyable and I would recommend it to anyone.

Richard E Grant's film diaries are fascinating for anyone wondering about the machinations of the film industry. It covers everything from his earliest job in the film "Withnail and I" (which launched his career)through to working on "Hudson Hawk", LA Stories" and many more. He comes across as so affable and totally appreciative of his fame and new found financial security. The personal stories involving his wife's miscarriage and death of his father tug at the heartstrings.
I'm sure Grant is the sort of guy you coould meet on the street or in a pub and have a good chat with, not one of these pretentious Hollywood bores.Merely someone who has paid his dues and truly deserves to be where he is today.
If you read this Mr Grant, all I can say is hurry up with the second lnstallment of your film diaries. You've worked on so many films in the past few years that another book MUST be in the works. A book that I can't wait to read. If for nothing else for your recollections of working on SPICE WORLD:The MOVIE!!
Funny,poignant and truly endearing.

I bought this book because I was a fan Of Richard E. Grant and was not disappointed. It is fabulous. The author takes you through the enjoyments (Withnails and The Player)and the terrors(Hudson Hawk )of filmmaking and the everyday life that surrounds it. An unashamed name-dropper Grant puts you right in the middle of the backstage of the movies and does it with a style and wit that is unmatched and a real delight to read. Personlly enjoyable was reading about Age of Innocence, remembering when it was filmed in my area. Have read it three times already and have picked up something each time. If you enjoy it try Grant's novel, By Design, A Hollywood Novel.

I saw REG in that dreadful movie 'Hudson Hawk' and I was hooked. This book is not only a revealing insight into REG but also into the weird and wonderful world of Hollywood. He doesn't hold back, though on the down side, he doesn't name names either. Poop it! My favourite part, his meeting with the magnificient Ms Streisand! It's nice to see that even famous people can become tongue-tied around the stars. I reccommend this to anyone who loves the movies and especially to all you REG fans out there! Well worth the investment!

Richard E. Grant takes his readers on a hilarious journey through his experiences in the film industry. His writing is sharp and incisive with no hint of egotism creeping through. Throughout the entire memoir, Grant is on the same plane as any working-class person in the world - this allows for him to connect with his reader, and at the same time, it makes his experiences, such as meeting a plethora of celebrities or attending all sorts of bizarre parties, all the more unbelievable and hilarious. With Nails is a book that can be read over and over again: Grant delivers so many bitchy, shrewd observations that, upon rereading, rear their barbed, comic heads.

Richard E. Grant is probably someone you've never heard of. He has always been a supporting actor, and has starred in a few dud pictures such as `Hudson Hawk' and `Pret-a-Porter'. The great thing about With Nails is that he's not afraid to admit his own, or his movies' failures and foibles. At the same time as he delves into his film diaries, Grant discusses some extremely personal experiences with the reader, such as the death of his baby girl only 36 hours after delivery: "she was the size of my hand" he laments.

It's moments like those in With Nails that remind the reader that Richard E. Grant is just a normal guy who has inadvertently stumbled into the totally bizarre and foreign world of Hollywood. For goodness sake, the man was born and raised in Swaziland, Africa! It's amazing that, despite his successes and run-ins with celebrity, he remains totally grounded. Just like your next-door neighbour. Just a guy that has had a tremendous run of luck and has described his whole way-out trip along the way.

This book is so excellent, so funny, so amazing... it's my favourite book of all time. Definitely get it. You won't regret it.

Richard E Grant, one of the most under-appreciated actors today, writes a dazzling book about his climb of Hollywood's Everest and his interactions with some of today's biggest stars. Yes, it is self-focused and introspective....just exactly what one would expect of an autobiograghy. His writing style careens the reader through each chapter, and I had a hard time putting it down as Grant's momentum and energy are forces to be reckoned with. A funny, poignant,revealing read.

Witty, modest, insightful and charming, Mr Grant provides a delightful insider look at the making of modern movies from an actor's standpoint. This is the perfect book for that long flight. I'm almost tempted to see the cult film Hudson Hawk which has apparently made some Worst Movie Ever Made lists. On the other hand, The Player should be reckoned one of the best. A fun read.

What a treat this book is. For those of us who love him as an actor, he surprised us with a book all about his acting. It's witty, biting, and furiously funny, and what's more, involves people, scenes, movies and events that we can all relate to and identify with because they're real. It's not just a book for Richard E. Grant fans, it's a book for anyone who loves movies and likes to laugh. If you're in the least bit "Hollywood", it's a great read.