eddie_baggins After the disappointment that was the 2013 documentary Salinger, there was hope debut director Danny Strong could shine a light on and do justice to the real life story of reclusive but influential author J.D Salinger with his biographical drama Rebel in the Rye.Alas it was not meant to be, as while Strong does offer us a basic insight into the mind of Salinger and the circumstances that surrounded his life and helped him create the work of genius that is The Catcher in the Rye, Rebel is a cold experience without much heart or soul and leaves us still wanting to know more about an author that has likely been a part of our lives in one way, shape or form.Having studied The Catcher in the Rye at school like many others before me and been intrigued to understand more about Salinger's thought process behind his creation of Holden Caulfield and the rather depressing narrative as a whole and these are questions Strong and his leading man Nicholas Hoult grapple with in Rebel but none of the situations or scenarios that founded Salinger's life comes across fully formed in Strong's film.Salinger himself (much like what his real life self seemed to be like) isn't that much of a likeable figure and while not terrible by any means, Hoult feels slightly miscast as the increasingly unhinged writer while Strong struggles with what appears to be a rather limited budget and scope to get the most out of key situations of Salinger's life such as his stint in the army during World War 2 or even his writing process of Catcher that seems to come and go all rather quickly in one of the films many montage moments.It's frustrating to feel such a disconnect to Rebel as a narrative whole and particularly the rather bare bone supporting players that appear within it such as Kevin Spacey's dedicated writing teacher Whit Burnett, Sarah Paulson as Salinger's agent Dorothy Olding or even Salinger's parents played by Victor Garber and Hope Davis and at the end of the day you can't help but escape the feeling that Strong doubling up as director and screenwriter, failed to unlock the potential of this story to even a fraction of its powerful potential.Final Say - Offering brief moments of insight and background to the creation of one of history's most important novels, Rebel in the Rye isn't a complete failure but it's still very much a lacklustre look at Salinger, leaving the door ajar for what could one say hopefully be the quintessential examination of a tortured writer and his creative genius.2 hat wearing fans out of 5

LouieInLove It keeps you interested & the performances are solid - Hoult paddles us along with strong strokes & Spacey is solid (once again). This isn't a classic but it is good & there's not much more to say.If I have any criticism it would be that the script was a bit too apologetic for Salinger - if it played a touch more on his darkness the story may have been more interesting.P.S. After watching this I think Hoult would make an excellent James Bond. Tall, dark... I just think he has the maturity for it now.

thirtyfivestories Fiction has become Jerry's most successful pickup line. The culturally accepted version of lying that is: Short stories with arrogant and witty protagonists. Boys with blistering thoughts and sharp words, his characters observe only to formulate their next jab. This aggressive form of storytelling wins him affection from women, and disapproval from professors. Jerry writes himself into his stories, and the characters suffer an identity crisis as a result. His voice swallows up the narrative and the plot suffocates in an ooze of style. Of course, he is blissfully unaware of this clash until Whit lectures him into the floorboards. An editor of Story magazine, Whit still teaches at Columbia to support his fruitless career in writing.Whit is the first jaded wise man that Jerry encounters on his journey to self-actualization. The veteran abandons his podium often, knowing that Jerry requires a confrontational teaching approach. Sniffing out Jerry's talent, Whit chastised the young artist with noble purpose. A will stronger than titanium, Jerry's character needs to be re- purposed into an insatiable drive. Greatness comes at a grave cost. Even watering greatness involves countless occupational hazards. The fallout of success contains a special strand of toxicity. Jerry does not become drunk on his notoriety, but rather uses it as an excuse to alienate everything that does not pertain to the magic carpet that delivered him to the clouds.Jerry's second teacher reinforces this pursuit of isolation in the name of exterminating distractions. The stench from his daydreams sends him to the floor where he becomes enchanted by his breaths. Meditation becomes weaponized within his domestic context, and his productivity only wounds his family.Whit told Jerry very early on that writing is never about publication, it is about producing without ceasing with no guarantees of recognition. This cozy proverb morphs into an ugly manifesto. A global conflict gives Jerry a muse, but the magnum opus has nothing to do with death. But then again, his masterpiece might have everything to do with death.

David Ferguson Greetings again from the darkness. "Holden Caulfield is dead." So states Jerry's letter to his mentor. You likely know Jerry better as J.D. Salinger, and he wrote that while hospitalized with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome after WWII. Of course, we know this proclamation is premature, as Holden Caulfield is the main character from Mr. Salinger's famous (and only) novel, "The Catcher in the Rye" … a high school literature staple for decades. Imagine your dream is to become a great writer, but your own father continually reminds you that "meat and cheese distribution has been good for this family." Your restlessness often works against you, and though you are hesitant to admit it, a mentor for writing and life direction is desperately needed if you are to avoid the family business. Enter Columbia professor Whit Burnett (Kevin Spacey). This is Danny Strong's first feature film as a director, though you would surely recognize his face from his frequent acting appearances – often as a weasly character. He is also the creator of TV's "Empire" and wrote the screenplays for THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY (Parts I and II) and LEE DANIELS' THE BUTLER. Strong does an admirable job in showing the commitment required to hone one's writing skills and proving "the difference in wanting to be a writer and actually being one."Jerome David Salinger is played well by Nicholas Hoult. His scenes with Spacey's professor are the film's best, and Hoult also shoulders the responsibility of Salinger's writing frustrations, personal life challenges, military service, and finally, his decision to become the most famous and long-lasting recluse (by comparison, Howard Hughes was an amateur). We learn that Burnett was instrumental in getting Salinger's first short story published, which finally gave Jerry the answer needed for a writer's most dreaded question, "Have you been published?" Quite a bit of time is devoted to his odd romantic relationship with Oona O'Neill (Eugene's daughter and the future, long-time wife to Charlie Chaplin). Zoey Deutch (daughter of Lea Thompson) plays Oona as an enigmatic lover attracted to Salinger's genius, but incapable of being patient for his career that might happen (and might not). She opts for the sure bet.Salinger's military service included Utah Beach on D-Day, and nearly as remarkably, his toting the tattered manuscript 'Catcher' pages throughout his tour. He returned home in 1946, and in 1951 "The Catcher in the Rye" was published. It's been referred to as the Great American novel and a rite of passage, while also being banned and derided for its whiny Holden.Director Strong emphasizes Salinger's turn to Zen Buddhism and his sessions with Swami Nikhilanda, as well as his evolving distrust of stalking fans and two-faced media. Support work is provided by Sarah Paulson as Salinger's salty agent, Lucy Boynton as his wife, Victor Garber as his father, and Hope Davis as his supportive mother. Just as in real life, we get nothing of Salinger's later years of solitude and isolation in New Hampshire, where he died at age 91. The book has sold more than 65 million copies, and continues to sell well today. In a shift from the recent documentary SALINGER by Shane Salerno, and the book "J.D. Salinger: A Life Raised High" by Kenneth Slawenski, this dramatization doesn't dig too deep, but it does allow a new generation to personify the legend. Perhaps it even paints a picture of a better/nicer man than what his real life actions showed. Regardless, the older Salinger certainly seemed to embrace the cause of "write and get nothing in return".