I enjoyed a decent amount of this film but feel that, while retaining the themes, it kind of lost the plot half-way through. And that’s a little unfair since the movie has a premise – young woman joins New York literary agency that represent J.D. Salinger – but is really about her journey to find herself. But, unfortunately, the plot is a little more interesting than her self-discovery and I feel that the film’s focus on the later caused me to lose focus and interest.

So, yeah, the film is focused on the world of literature with a spotlight on honoring Salinger. The protagonist works her way into a assistant job for Sigourney Weaver as the boss of the agency. Part of her job winds up being reading all of the notoriously elusive Salinger’s fan male… reading, replying with a stock rejection letter, and shredding the missive.

As a film about this New York agency and as a relationship between the assistance and Weaver’s character, I enjoyed this film. It’s take on the intellectual and emotional pull of the letters was a fun, unique hook. I love how Weaver’s presence suggests this will be a Devil Wears Prada knockoff but she ultimately turns out to be a better human being and their relationship becomes one of mutual respect. That was all interesting and enjoyable.

But, I dunno, half-way through a lot of that fell away and the real focus of the film comes into view. The film is largely more interested in being the lead’s internal journey than any kind of New York work life story. And that’s fair enough… that’s certainly in the text of the first half as well. But I missed the mechanics, relationships, and experience of the job presented. I guess the problem is the film lacks an internal monologue to make her journey more compelling. There are certainly some lovely, well acted moments in this section of the film so it’s not a snoozer or a loser. It just wanders from my conception of what the film should be about. And that’s more on my expectations than the screenwriters or the directors.

So I was ultimately a little disappointed in the film but not massively so. It’s still well acted, it still has a fairly unique premise and setting, and the acting is solid. It’s always nice to see Weaver in a meaty role and it was very nice that it wasn’t that of a human barracuda. A pretty solid effort.

Score: 77