Love Scenes by Bridget Morrissey (2021)

An enjoyable look at what goes on behind the scenes of a movie shoot. Our narrator is Sloane Ford, daughter of an acting dynasty, whose life is a little chaotic at the moment. She's been fired from the television show she headlined and the boyfriend who dumped her just released an album everyone knows is about her that makes her the villain of their relationship. She's watching someone else woodenly play a role written for her, a role she turned down because of her contract with the TV show. If that weren't enough, the movie's being directed by her sister, written/directed by her step-father, and stars her mother and one of her father's ex-wives. Her brother is doing the music and her father (along with his new girl friend) likes to drop by the set.

But the worst thing is the film's leading man, a former co-star who almost made Sloane give up acting because of the experience. Now, Joseph is a hugely famous/popular award-winning actor who swears he's changed. Based on his first couple days on set, Sloane is not convinced that he's any different. Her mother orders her to help Joe by running lines each day before shooting starts. Sloane has no choice, since Joe's 'performance' will delay filming, sink the movie and flush her family's money down the drain.

Thankfully, Morrissey takes something that could read like a telenovella and instead gives us 3-dimensional people. Drama happens - both on and off set - but it's nothing too fanciful or unrealistic. Sloane, her family, and Joe are all people with baggage, but it doesn't overwhelm or trap anyone in harmful patterns. Her extended family reminds me of the Pritchetts in 'Modern Family'; at times they fight or drive each other crazy but no matter what, they love and like each other. Getting a behind-the-scenes peek at the movie business (ex: the intimacy coordinator) helped me appreciate the job that actors do to end up with the final product that I see on my screen.

3.5/5 stars