A review by mollyringle
The Otto Digmore Decision by Brent Hartinger
5.0
I got to read this in advance, and it was so much fun! I'm always fascinated with behind-the-scenes stories of acting and filmmaking, and this book delivers, though Hollywood's business practices definitely do not come off looking good.
Two friends, a screenwriter (Russel) and an actor (Otto), both of whom arrived in L.A. with starry-eyed hope the way everyone does, quickly learn how rough and mean the film industry is. Otto especially feels it, since as someone with highly noticeable scars on his face, he's considered difficult to cast by all those image-obsessed producers.
Then when they finally do get a movie into production, written by Russel and with Otto as one of the main actors, the outlook is still bleak, because the director keeps making terrible artistic decisions. So though Russel and Otto are good guys to their cores, they begin to realize that for the sake of their own artistic integrity, they might have to pull something of a heist.
Naturally I'm biased as a fellow writer and underdog, but I truly felt for these guys and was cheering for their success the whole way, even if they had to be underhanded at times to achieve it. Maybe especially then, because that's juicy to read! I loved the cast as a whole (except the obvious despicable ones)--the fellow actors, the crew, the friends at home trying to do their best to help their loved ones. They were funny, sometimes sweet, sometimes snarky, and entirely easy to relate to.
I look forward to more adventures from these characters!
Two friends, a screenwriter (Russel) and an actor (Otto), both of whom arrived in L.A. with starry-eyed hope the way everyone does, quickly learn how rough and mean the film industry is. Otto especially feels it, since as someone with highly noticeable scars on his face, he's considered difficult to cast by all those image-obsessed producers.
Then when they finally do get a movie into production, written by Russel and with Otto as one of the main actors, the outlook is still bleak, because the director keeps making terrible artistic decisions. So though Russel and Otto are good guys to their cores, they begin to realize that for the sake of their own artistic integrity, they might have to pull something of a heist.
Naturally I'm biased as a fellow writer and underdog, but I truly felt for these guys and was cheering for their success the whole way, even if they had to be underhanded at times to achieve it. Maybe especially then, because that's juicy to read! I loved the cast as a whole (except the obvious despicable ones)--the fellow actors, the crew, the friends at home trying to do their best to help their loved ones. They were funny, sometimes sweet, sometimes snarky, and entirely easy to relate to.
I look forward to more adventures from these characters!