“Are you kidding? Ray Charles could catch you.” - Louie Ginsberg, Uncle Louie: An Original Screenplay
COVER DESCRIPTION
"If Damon Runyon had written The Karate Kid, it might've turned out like this, because Uncle Louie is an aging fugitive from Guys & Dolls.
When he comes to Los Angeles to live with the nephew that he hasn't seen in thirty years, he meets Andy, his grand nephew. Andy is a likable high school student who loves playing his guitar, but also has some problems. Inadvertently, the youth has incurred the wrath of a local drug dealer.
And, even though he has his own troubles with an East Coast Mafia chieftain plus the F.B.I., Louie takes it upon himself to help the boy find himself.
Michael B. Druxman's screenplay has action, laughs and also a few warm tears along the way."
TWITTER-SIZE SUMMARY
#3words2describe – warm, funny, family-oriented
MY TAKE
Uncle Louie is an original screenplay by Michael B. Druxman. The main character, Louie Ginsberg (aka Uncle Louie), has spent his life running with the rough crowd (picture an aging lower-level henchman/gangster type). When he "retires" and moves to Los Angeles to live with his nephew and his family, Louie brings a secret trail of drama with him - in the form of mafia threats and F.B.I. agents.
As Louie tries to blend into the family and resolve his drama, he notices that Andy (his grand nephew) is slipping into a dangerous situation with a local drug dealer. Wise to shady dealings and fast business, Uncle Louie uses his street smarts to help Andy in more ways than Andy and his parents could have ever imagined. After the initital set-up, I found the storyline to be predictable (but still entertaining). So much so, at certain points in the story, I thought that I had already seen the actual movie.
What I found more interesting than the storyline and dialogue was the actual detail that went into setting up the background parts of the story (descriptions of characters and scenes). Sometimes I watch movies and think that I could have done a better job writing lines, casting characters or crafting scenes. After reading Uncle Louie, I see that it's a lot harder than it looks from the outside.
Druxman says, "Uncle Louie is what Hollywood calls a "soft movie," one that emphasizes leisurely character development over a fast-paced action-filled storyline. These kinds of stories are usually a hard sell to studio heads because they seldom make a lot of money, but I do enjoy writing them."
While I don't see Uncle Louie being made into a summer blockbuster movie, I could see it being made into a family television movie. It's a feel-good flick with a good message. It demonsrates that friends and family are powerful influences in a young person's life. Good kids can make bad decisions that have irrevocable consequences - even when parents are actively involved in their lives. It's important to have all hands on deck - so to speak - to help keep them on the right path.
Recommended for:
- Movie buffs
- Fans of "Runyonesque-type" stories
NOTE: I received a free copy of Uncle Louie through a Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
I don't see Eddie Murphy working as Uncle Louie in a more modern adaptation of the movie as Druxman suggests. Check out my casting lineup on my Uncle Louie Pinterest board. Who would you cast in the main roles for the movie?
I am posting Uncle Louie up for swaps at PaperBackSwap.com. Get it while you can. Join the Club and Swap Books for Free! - PaperBackSwap.com.
I am going to add Druxman's book, My Forty-Five Years in Hollywood and How I Escaped Alive, to my Wish List on PaperBackSwap.
