Review: Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy

Now a Major Motion Picture by Cori McCarthy

Published by: Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN: 9781492652380
Released: April 3 2018 (in the US)

Read: April 16-17 2018

A quality contemporary young adult novel successfully combines a number of converging issues, as well an engaging set of characters and a plot that burbles along evenly. Now a Major Motion Picture starts off as one type of book, then evolves into another and along the way, readers are persuaded to think about several timely matters. McCarthy also manages to infuse the story with meta references, which blends inter-sectional and inter-textual themes effectively. Best of all, the novel is never dragged down by its weighty concerns, managing to balance the heaviness with a strong sense of humour and self-awareness.

Initially, Iris’s resentment at being sent by her father to the set of the film production of her late grandmother’s very popular fantasy trilogy, basically to serve as babysitter to her younger brother Ryder, makes us believe this will be a family drama in which Iris grows as a character, learns things about herself and reconciles with her family dysfunction. And it is that. But it’s also her love story, her guilt story, and her connecting to her past story. Little brother Ryder is pivotal to the family drama, but he is also a connection to the larger world—his attempted kidnapping by a crazed fan of grandma Thorne’s novels has soured Iris’s love for the books, and her parents too. It’s hoped that the film might relieve Ryder of his nightmares, and Iris of her guilt in her role in the kidnapping, but it’s going to take a lot more to solve the problem of their emotionally manipulative father, and their absent mother.

Ireland stands in for the fantasy locations, and it’s in this landscape that Iris finds some peace, and of course, a boy who challenges her self-perception, and her hostile attitude to her grandmother. There are two potential love interests, but this quickly becomes a non-issue, thankfully, and while tensions run hot and cold between our two love-birds, they soon become emotionally connected to ensuring the film gets made, and this bond, as well as their mutual concern for Ryder, means they look out for each other, and make suitable sacrifices to prove their love.

A lot of the story revolves around the adaptation of the book into the film. We are reminded of real life scenarios like Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings, sometimes literally on the page. The constant crossing boundaries of what is real and what is fictional, creates an additional layer of meaning, and fans of these texts will either love it or hate it. There are always so many compromises necessary when adapting a text, and McCarthy seems to have a genuine understanding and I found these sections authentic. She deepens it when the fans intrude into the filmmaking process, and the duality of their passion is again believable and often frustrating. They love the work so much, they actually become a barrier to the production because they fear too many changes, they don’t like the chosen cast, and their viral exploitation of social media impacts on financial resources. McCarthy includes all this seamlessly through the plot, and it never feels like a rant or a plea.

However, there is a soapbox element, which is forgivable because it’s such an interesting and relevant issue. The director of the film, Cate has longed to adapt the novel because it spoke to her as a young female at film school. McCarthy shows us how hard it is for women directors to get their chance, and it’s really moving how much of a role model and mentor Cate wants to be for Iris. Her discussions about feminism, power and political games guide Iris eventually, but along the way, we see how much Cate has put on the line for this film. Her depiction is sympathetic and once again, very timely in our climate of positive change for women and society at large.

Iris navigates this story as a flawed character. She is unhappy, resentful, and full of self-doubt, particularly in relation to her own dreams of becoming a full time musician. While it seems like there is a lot going on, the different issues are all related and converge neatly with Iris gaining much insight into her family’s past, ensuring Ryder is given the opportunity to follow his dreams, and securing the film’s future. Her own happiness is well deserved, and McCarthy does well to not solve all her problems too quickly or conveniently. There’s still a way to go, with her father, the fans of the novel, and her own musical journey. But we leave her in a happy place.

Thanks to Sourcefire Books and to Netgalley for advanced copy. Now a Major Motion Picture did come out in the US a couple of weeks ago, and here in Australia, I urge you to keep an eye out for this complicated, feminist novel. Recommended to readers who like their contemporaries involving and messy. The secondary characters are diverse, and all treated well, with strong backstories. The interplay between the film and the book are familiar to readers who spend time creating their own fantasy cast for a hypothetical movie. It asks passionate fans to reconsider how they use social media, and is often the case, challenges people to always try to be kind. I really enjoyed Iris’s quest.