Book of Love (2004)

User Rating:

5.3/10   

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:

Ice Cream Parlor | Wrestling | Swimming Pool | Shower Scene | Schoolteacher

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...
[...]

Forbidden Romance

A young married couple befriends a lonely teenage boy in an ice cream shop. As the friendship blossoms, romantic feelings develop between the wife and the boy. It's a provocative story with contemporary relevance. Withy a backdrop of New Age philosophy "Book Of Love" explores the impact of this unsettling romance on the three individuals.

The acting of the three leads is fine. But the screenplay is thin. Even with a runtime of just 83 minutes, there's just not that much substance. Director Alan Brown tries to draw a parallel between the wife's mistakes in judgment and the mistakes of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia, a parallel that seems contrived at best. Further, the wife's involvement with the boy lacks a motivational basis, given her current marriage. And her behavior seems way too casual to be credible.

Nominated for an award at the Sundance Film Festival, "Book Of Love" at least tries to do something daring. It is low-key, and not at all exploitative. The background music is interesting. And, as a low budget film, the production values are credible. On the other hand, the script probably does not have enough conflict or plot complication to engage most viewers. The story seems too direct and too linear to be compelling.