The Hoax of Beth Cooper

Well, it's double review Tuesday. Mind the spelling.

First up. The Hoax.

This flick is a liberty taking adaptation of a mostly true story based on an author writing a fake autobiography about a crazy recluse billionaire.

Good stuff. There's some great acting, and the story is paced very well. (like I know what I'm talking about). I think as a writer who is constantly dealing with publishers and seeking to get books published, I could especially relate to the plight of the main character, Clifford, played by Richard Gere. Basically, in an effort to get a publishing deal with McGraw-Hill, Clifford claims to have been commissioned to write the official biography of the eccentric billionaire Howard Hughes. At the time, I believe in the 70s, Hughes was such a commodity that a bidding war, and all types of publishing politics heat up, and all of a sudden Clifford is the most famous writer in America.

This is totally a stroke of genius. I love when writers pull the wool over everyone's eyes. Isn't that the job description?

I really dug the movie. It had a nice mix of humor, satire and conspiracy theory. And the changes from the novel to the film seems to have served the movie quite well. The subplot of Cliffords extra marital affair was well written and acted.

The movie was a nice surprise. Recommended!

Next up, I Love you Beth Cooper.

I don't know where to start. So, So flawed, yet, so, so good? There could've been a great lesson to be learned for every shy, introverted, teenage nerd, if the movie wasn't so ridiculously fabricated from the remnants of 40 year old loser's teenage wishfulfillment. The message is good. Enjoy life. Don't let it pass you by. But the means of showing the virtue of said message is so steeped in fantasy, it might as well have been Lord of the Rings: The teenage years.

But, for all it's pre packaged, maudlin, end of highschool ruminations, prototypical insane teenage antics and let's not forget the obligatory singing while driving scene, there are some moments of pure, heartfelt teen sentiment, scattered throughout ILYBC. Like, glimpses of real people, real life. Fleeting moments, just as they are in reality. It's these glimpses at reality that really sold me on the movie. I had chills at one moment. Seriously.

That said, 90% of the movie was utter science fiction as far as teen movies and teen life go, for that matter. The kind of stuff that would only happen in a million years, and only in the least self deprecating of dreams of a hopeless romantic loser. The movie is an accurately captured dream, but a dream nonetheless.

Now, if Beth Cooper was real, if this perfect cyborg of a teenage girl was to actually exist, that is to say, the highschool cheerleader with a heart of gold, wow. And if you ever get close to her, for the love of god hold on for dear life. Cuz, I'm pretty sure that would be some history in the making. Imagine a nerdy loser proclaiming love for a girl he's never spoken to in 4 years of school, and her finding that sweet. Whaaa? I'd say that would make fighting her older, roid raged, coked up military boyfriend totally worth it.

It's kinda sad that such accurate characterizations, the occasional guininely funny moment, and some relatively true to life teen drama had to be pre-fabricated in a typical over the top teen hijink comedy package. This effectively rendered any of it's truthiness to that of a dream. Question is, is it the dream of a hapless science nerd obsessed with the cheerleader? Or is ILYBC the dream of the, lonely on the inside, beautiful cheerleader longing to be truly, and unconditionally loved?

Still, recommended!

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