Book of Love (2003)

42% of users liked it
(1,237 ratings)

Writer/director Alan Brown makes his feature-length debut with the comedy drama Book of Love, following his award-winning short film O Beautiful (released as part of Boys Life 4: Four Play). High school history teacher David (Simon Baker) is newly married to the lovely Elaine (Frances O'Connor).… More Writer/director Alan Brown makes his feature-length debut with the comedy drama Book of Love, following his award-winning short film O Beautiful (released as part of Boys Life 4: Four Play). High school history teacher David (Simon Baker) is newly married to the lovely Elaine (Frances O'Connor). When they welcome the fresh-faced, teenaged student Chet (Gregory Smith) into their lives, both begin to feel a strain on their marriage after awhile. Book of Love premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2004 as part of the dramatic competition. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 25 min.
Directed By: Alan Brown
Written By: Alan Brown
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Jan 1, 2004 Wide
On DVD: Apr 26, 2005
Studio: Sundance Channel Home Entertainment

Critic Reviews

Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Wait: When you sleep with a teenager that could have an impact on your marriage?
Jon Popick, Planet Sick-Boy
Upsetting and bleak; a meditative exercise in ice cream, marital infidelity, DisneyWorld, statutory rape, and the Khmer Rouge.
Erik Childress, eFilmCritic.com
So thick with a contrived laughability that your only recourse is to start believing that you're watching a comedy.

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Good actors stuck in a clunky disjointed mess of a movie. You never really understand who these people are so the stupid and irrational things the script has them do make no impact on the viewer.
Leigh R

It was okay. Wouldn't watch it again though.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Book of Love", Chet(Gregory Smith), a 16-year old high school student on his swimming team, works part-time in a local ice cream parlor in a New Jersey suburb. One day, in walks David(Simon Baker), a history teacher at a local all-girls high school… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Book of Love", Chet(Gregory Smith), a 16-year old high school student on his swimming team, works part-time in a local ice cream parlor in a New Jersey suburb. One day, in walks David(Simon Baker), a history teacher at a local all-girls high school and his beautiful wife, Elaine(Frances O'Connnor). Chet who is inexperienced in the ways of the world is fascinated to hear about their trip to Cambodia. Upon learning that he has never been to New York City, they take him under their wing and invite Chet along with them to watch a friend sing at a Manhattan nightclub. When David falls asleep after a barbecue, Chet makes a drunken pass at Elaine...[/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Book of Love" is an intelligent movie that is not afraid of going to dark and uncomfortable places. It is about the consequences to be faced when self-control is lost. And Frances O'Connor gives a truly heartfelt performance.[/font]
Leo L

An interesting film!