Based on the Movie: A Novel (Hardcover)

~ (Author)
Key Phrases: video village, killer instinct, grip truck, Billy Taylor, Sara Lee, Sir Richard (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Reel life meets real life in Taylor's fast and funny debut, the tale of Bobby Conlon, a dolly grip working on a disaster of a movie. Bobby, a lifelong movie lover, is growing disillusioned with Hollywood—a feeling that's been growing since he found his wife, producer Natalie Miguel, having an affair with a colleague, Elias Simm. Bobby decides that perhaps directing is for him and sells Gerti, a grip truck worth $150,000, to a colleague, who manages to wreck it and screw Bobby on the deal. So with no funds to produce and direct his opus, Bobby goes back to being a grip. This leads to an affair with Katherine, one of Natalie's archrivals, and a fight to keep his Xanax habit kicked. Things turn particularly bad after a series of incompetent directors come and go, forcing Natalie into the picture. Laugh-out-loud moments are in plentiful supply, and the twist at the end is nicely handled. Taylor, a former grip, creates a convincing backdrop for this biting take on the bleakness beneath the glamour. (Aug.) ""
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From Booklist

Nine months after film grip Bobby Conlon’s wife has left him for a hotshot director, he still hasn’t taken down the Christmas tree. He has, however, decorated it with hundreds of empty Xanax bottles as a testament to his heartbreak. Now he’s determined to kick his meds despite the fact that, without them, he is given to playing Carole King’s Tapestry and sobbing along to the lyrics of “It’s Too Late.” Using revenge as his motive, he takes a job in Austin, once the city he and his wife had fantasized about moving to. But the good life in Austin is looking pretty dicey once he encounters the tyrannical cinematographer, who has him hauling equipment 24/7, and the amorous producer, who has recently undergone gastric-bypass surgery (though he does develop a strange attraction to her compression suit). Will Bobby save the film from ineptness and win back the love of his wife? This satirical take on the egos and political maneuverings of the movie business will have readers rooting for its hapless hero. --Joanne Wilkinson

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Atria (August 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1416548777
• ISBN-13: 978-1416548775
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 5.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,068,827 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding!, August 9, 2008

By	J. Jackson (Missouri City, TX United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What a terrific read! Finished it two days. This is a very enjoyable book, with characters that are unique but also very relatable. I laughed out loud throughout. I highly recommend it! This is one book I think virtually anyone would enjoy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Read, August 19, 2008

By	George S. Dean (Kittrell, North Carolina United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was such a good book. It was funny and I learned a lot about moviemaking. I now know what a best boy and a dolly grip do.I am afraid this is one of those books that won't get much publicity and therefore not many people will read it. It that happens it will be a shame because a lot of people will really enjoy this book.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Read!, August 12, 2008

By	C. Amato - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Flew through this in less than a day. Well written and quite witty - a perfect vacation read that will have you laughing (LOL). Plus an informative look behind the camera into those not-well known jobs listed at the end of every movie. Highly recommended. You won't be disappointed.