Book of Love (2004)

Director:

Alan Brown

Writer:

Alan Brown (written by)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

When good people do bad things.

Plot:

Living among fusty academics, an unusual young man gets between a high school history teacher and his wife.

Plot Keywords:

Infidelity | Older Woman Younger Man Relationship | High School Athlete | Cambodia | Forgiveness

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Frances O'Connor	...	Elaine Walker
Simon Baker	...	David Walker
Gregory Smith	...	Chet Becker
Bryce Dallas Howard	...	Heather
Joanna Adler	...	Melissa (as Joanna P. Adler)
Sabrina Grdevich	...	Lilian
Ari Graynor	...	Naomi
Beth MacDonald	...	Yoga Instructor
Brett Tabor	...	Coach
Van Hughes	...	Swimmer #1
C.J. Aker	...	Swimmer #2

Also Known As:

Nights in Phnom Penh (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

USA:83 min (Sundance Film Festival)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Lake Buena Vista, Florida, USA

Company:

Robert Ahrens Productions

Quotes:

Elaine Walker: [after Chet has kissed Elaine] DAVID! No I won't... DAVID! God nothing wakes him when he's been drinking... not the telephone, earthquakes, car alarm, thunder, fire engines at 3 AM...
Chet Becker: When I was a little boy, I couldn't fall asleep unless my mom had said "goodnight" an even number of times... twice "goodnight goodnight" or four times "goodnight goodnight goodnight goodnight". Sometimes as a joke, my dad would throw an extra one in and my mom would have to say "goodnight" again to even it out.
Elaine Walker: The ice cream...
[...]

A very cool movie that grew on me.

I saw this at a Slamdance Best Of screening in the East Village. I go to all their films there. This was an intelligent, quiet film with really great acting from all three leads. I liked it at first because it didn't try to push any messages or morals on me. Then I started to think about it afterward, and as time went by, it impressed me more and more. It seems to be about a lot of important things. It made me question how people behave and how I judge people. I hate to use the word 'haunting,' it sounds like a cliché, but the film did end up haunting me. I went out and rented other films with these actors (see Francis O'Conor in Mansfield Park!), and also found one by the director, a short called O Beautiful, which is also very good and (here I go again) 'haunting.' So, see if you have a chance.