Coming Through the Rye

This is a winner. Believable acting, tight script, fine camera work. I've not read the book... This film makes me want to. Best parts were when Jamie speaks directly to us, and when he spoke directly to me. Reminded me of things I've not even now have had sorted out concerning my own high school experience.

I saw this film last week and was totally enthralled! The actors, basically "unknown" other than Chris Cooper, were splendid. Virginia looked lovely with glorious fall scenes of winding roads. It/they drew me in and made me feel a part of his journey, and as I mentioned to my friend when it was over "I want to HUG that movie". To think this was actually experienced IN REAL LIFE by the author/director! Wow! I also was pleased that the obligatory romantic scenes were left to the viewer's imagination. Thank you for letting ME (and my imagination) have a part in your movie. So go feel the warmth and charm of a wonderful movie!

At first, I thought the best thing about this indie was going to be its beautiful rustic scenery, as the film seemed to have so much awkward, even irritating, dialogue initially. However, I felt that the movie got increasingly better as it progressed, ending well and on an upbeat note.

Set in the mid to late 1960's, as the Vietnam War raged, Alex Wolff stars as Jamie, a student at Crompton Prep, in Pennsylvania. He's adapted a stage play from the classic novel "Catcher in the Rye" (one of my favorite books) by the acclaimed author J.D.Salinger. Being bullied and harassed at his school, Jamie decides to leave and travel to New Hampshire and attempt to locate and get the approval of the extremely reclusive writer.

Stephania LaVie Owen is excellent co-starring as Jamie's friend Deedee, who obviously likes Jamie quite a lot and offers to drive him on his quest. Thus, the two teens will embark on the road trip, with some adventures and discoveries waiting for them along the way.

The superb actor Chris Cooper is spot on as Salinger, as he seeks his privacy above all else in rustic New England. I read that the movie depicts the real life attempts of the film's writer and director James Sadwith, to find and talk to Salinger.

Overall, as mentioned, I found this indie to be awkward and initially filled with rough spots, but I thought it got progressively better, and ended well and on a high note, Thus, I would say it can be a fairly decent watch if you don't expect perfection.

Every "Catcher" reader will tell you that you don't need to relate to Holden, don't need to agree with Holden, hell, you don't even need to like him—to know how honest and raw he is with his reader. The reader knows more than Holden does at times, in spite of the walking contradiction that he is. J.D. Salinger wrote "The Catcher" out of desperation. He wrote it trying to hold on to parts of himself that he hadn't even fed in years. And this is apparent upon a first read, seeing that Holden's values are so rooted in who he is—but then not a page later they are replaced entirely. This film was not comprised out of that same desperation, it was composed of admiration, of love for the words that helped to inspire and not just numb. This is a glass and hard plastic reverence to what was once a leather-bound vow; finding your own story, making something of yourself, and searching out your spot to stand and hold the fabric of the world together. This film radiates the feeling of knowing who you ought to be, thinking that's all you could ever be, and then before the credits have rolled crumpling up all the words that used to define you. This film may not be everything that you will hope it to be at times, but it certainly won't all be what you expect. And if that were it's only connection to The Catcher in the Rye, that would be enough to earn the title. But it also develops real characters, and real heartbreak, real headway, and real authentic cinematography. By the end of the film, you thank the director and his fearless cast for leaving the camera rolling long enough to make you itch. If you can manage your own discomfort in those raw moments, you will appreciate how they opted away from "seamless." If only to make a jagged representation of what will always be an honest story, with honest feeling—not written for one person—but for generations to know that they weren't the first to love or hate Holden Caulfield...or Jamie Schwartz for that matter. And they won't be the last.

In 1969 Pennsylvania, Jamie Schwartz (Alex Wolff) is in his Senior Year at Crampton Prep. The other boys hate him and the teachers are little better. He wants to do a play about Holden Caulfield adapting J.D. Salinger's The Catcher in the Rye. He likes a townie girl but another, Deedee Gorlin (Stefania LaVie Owen), likes him and his play. He runs away from the bullying and goes in search of the reclusive Salinger. Deedee volunteers to drive him.

There are some early extended flashbacks. Most of it is unnecessary except for showing a hatred of him from the start and the cause of his isolation. Jamie is a rather dislikeable awkward nerd while Deedee is adorable. He's clueless in an annoying way. It makes his obsession with the pretty girl very superficial. It's appealing to have his sole obsession be Salinger while avoiding the pretty girl trope. Deedee goes hard at Jamie. They could have played with possible homosexuality except for him falling over himself for the pretty girl. There are issues at play with this coming-of-age story. The relationship grows on me but I never really like Jamie. She's the better character and would have been a better protagonist. Chris Cooper does a nice turn in a small role although that exchange could have some more supportive words even if it comes from Deedee.