This little book I picked up for one dollar at our Bedford Library book sale. It proved to be quite interesting. It's a memoir of a year in a father/son's life. The fifteen year was flunking everything in school, bored, and lacking motivation. David Gilmour threw out an offer - drop out, not work, not pay rent, but his son had to watch three movies a week with his father. The boy accepted. Hence The Film Club.
cover blurb - The films (ex. True Romance, A Hard Day's Night, Rosemary's Baby, and more) got them talking - about girls, music, heartbreak, work, drugs, love, friendship - and opened doors to a teenager's interior life at a time when a parent is normally shut out. Ultimately, at the end of the year, the young man made a decision that surprised even his father.
I found this book to be quite a revelation. Obviously, the young man was intelligent, caring, and did not have a slacker soul. Oh, he screwed up during the year, and the father/author is very honest in his writing about disappointments, worry, and a bit of "what the heck am I doing?" thrown into the mix. But, it also revealed a different version of education and poked into corners beyond the norm.
The Film Club reminded me of movies I need to watch again, and some I need to discover. The book was worth way more than a dollar.
Hi Joanne - sounds really fascinating in this day and age - I'd like to read it ... and also see those movies I've missed - zillions of them! Thanks for this - interesting to know about. Cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteit's a short book, but full of ideas and a heart
DeleteWonderful review Joanne, yes we've missed many things of late.
ReplyDeleteTake care.
Yvonne.
thanks. It's been quite a time
DeleteNothing wrong with having to watch a bunch of movies.
ReplyDeleteDavid Gilmour is the lead singer of Pink Floyd, but I'm sure it's not the same guy.
Nope - this guy is a writer, journalist, film critic. I probably should have made that clear.
DeleteKudos to this dad and son. Awesome story.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got well more than your dollar's worth, Joanne.
a very interesting parenting experiment. The father said it could have gone horribly wrong, but he had faith that his son would "see the light" and get motivated.
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