Best Sellers Review
Best Sellers (2021) Film Review, a movie directed by Lina Roessler and starring Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza, Scott Speedman, Ellen Wong, Cary Elwes, Luc Morissette, Veronica Ferres, Frank Schorpion, Florence Situ, Linda Joyce Nourse, Sebree Laurie, Charli Birdgenaw and Philip Le Maistre.
Oscar winner for Hannah and Her Sisters and The Cider House Rules, Michael Caine, plays a one-time great recluse writer who is given a second chance at success in Lina Roessler’s funny and moving new picture, Best Sellers. Caine is cast opposite the very talented Aubrey Plaza in the new movie and this film is especially good at capturing the competitive nature of the world of book publishing. It is also a moving and funny story of the power of friendship.
In the film, Aubrey Plaza plays Lucy Stanbridge who has inherited a publishing company from her father. The books that Lucy and her team are putting out have been receiving horrible reviews from critics and there’s no hope for her to save the company from being sold to her former lover/competitor Jack Sinclair (Scott Speedman). Or is there?
Enter Harris Shaw (Caine), an aging, alcoholic author rotting away in Westchester. It appears that the once popular Shaw is still under contract to produce work for Lucy’s company. When Lucy and her assistant, Rachel (the funny Ellen Wong) go to Shaw’s home unexpectedly, Shaw doesn’t react well to the prospect of having another one of his books published. But, he’s up to his eyeballs in debt and shows up in the city just as Lucy is about to sign papers that would release the company to Sinclair. Shaw publishes a manuscript of his with Lucy’s company but it doesn’t sell immediately. Despite Lucy’s best efforts, the rebellious Shaw is too much of a loose cannon despite being a gifted writer. Shaw simply tells his fans, “Bullshite” as his answer to everything and, also, playfully attacks a book critic (Cary Elwes).
Lucy has a tough cookie on her hands with Shaw but he’s her last hope to keep her father’s book publishing company alive. Eventually, Shaw will have to stop his “bullshite” and actually read his written words at the book readings. That doesn’t work out too well but, soon, Lucy has other people read his words which starts to help sell books. Lucy and Shaw form a bond during the course of all this as they soon learn friendship and integrity are just as important as selling books.
There are some tender moments here between Caine and Plaza’s characters in the film. The movie reminded me of the Sean Connery film, Finding Forrester, without the urban edge that film possessed. Both films are about recluse authors who are discovered by someone who would like to obtain something from them. Plaza’s character wants to obtain a hit for her publishing company whereas in Connery’s picture, the young man wanted to obtain literary wisdom. There’s a lot of similarities between Connery’s role in that picture and Caine’s here. But, Caine takes the role in a different direction. Shaw is such a loose cannon, he can hardly function as the inspirational author his writing suggests he is. Caine has a lot of fun with his character here and adds both hilarity and warmth to his performance. It’s an inspired piece of acting.
Plaza more than holds her own beside Caine as her character tries to give the public what it wants in order for her publishing company to rebound. When a would-be customer suggests she sell T-shirts alongside the books, she gives in with hilarious results.
This film would be nothing, however, without the dramatic edge that director Lina Roessler gives it. As we all know Caine is an aging actor in Hollywood and one of our most legendary living talents. Caine doesn’t disappoint here and Roessler surprisingly gives his character a lot of heart. Roessler offers some truly moving scenes as Lucy discovers she has a lot to learn from the author and he, in turn, has a lot of wisdom to share with her regarding love and life. These two performers play off each other remarkably well and their scenes together are extraordinarily well orchestrated.
Best Sellers is much more entertaining than it has any right to be. The world of literary publishing hasn’t really been given the on screen treatment it deserves lately and this film could open the door to more films about the industry. I liked seeing the struggles of Lucy and also the inner demons of Shaw come to life on screen. It’s a well made picture that is also deeply moving and hilarious funny. It is highly recommended.
Rating: 8/10
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