I'm
sure October Baby the movie is wonderful, but, having read Mr. Wilson's
novelization, I feel no overriding need to see it. Experience has shown time
and time again that the written page can attain a multidimensional property,
depth of insight and characterization, richness of viewer/reader involvement,
that the silver screen struggles--often in vain--to achieve. Don't get me
wrong, I can immerse myself into a great movie as much as the next guy. But the
film version would require a near-magical quality to approach what the author
delivers in October
Baby the book.For those not yet acquainted with the
story, Hannah, a high school student with aspirations for the stage, falters
during a prime performance. In fact, she passes out in the middle of one of her
lines. Attempts to discover the source of this and other niggling maladies that
plague the otherwise seemingly healthy girl lead to a stark revelation. Not
only is she adopted, but she's the survivor of a botched abortion. This
knowledge sends her on a quest to find her birth mother, despite the
protestations of her adoptive parents and the cautions of her best friend,
Josh. Still, Hannah, ultimately with Josh's help, embarks on her journey under
the guise of taking a spring break trip to New Orleans with a group of friends;
a trip that just happens to take her past the city in which she was
born.
A cast of unique supporting characters colors the storyline with
grit, hilarity, and poignancy brought to their fullest brilliance under the
skilled pen of best-selling author, Eric Wilson. It's quite apparent from the
characterization and dialog that Mr. Wilson is very much at home with this
genre. He pulls you from the softness of your sofa onto the bumpy back seat of
a dilapidated van trundling down the interstate toward the Big Easy, sharing the
sights, smells, and sensibilities of teenagers on a lark. Transports you from
the comfort of your own existence into the troubled world of a young girl whose
life has suddenly been turned upside down and now has no idea what part truth
plays in it. It just grabs you and doesn't let go at the turn of the last
page. If it doesn't grab you, you might want to check yourself for a
pulse.
This tale relates one of the realities of abortion smothered by
politcal correctness. Those on the pro-abortion side will dismiss it as
lopsided propaganda (as has already happened in reaction to the movie). Those
on the pro-life side will laud it for its honesty and fearlessness in addressing
such a heart-wrenching issue. Those in the middle, those who don't want to
care...well, they'll continue not to care. Maybe.
.Sound heavy? No, not really. The journey is
often painful, but the destination is emotionally satisfying, like most great
novels. Highly recommended, especially for those in the middle.
Oh, and
yeah, I'll see the movie. I mean, you know...
And another 'oh'.
October Baby is due for release on September 1st. Get in line. -- Bruce Judisch
