"The Books of John" Review - Written by Mathius Mack Gertz

Title: The Books of John
Year 2008
Director: David A. Schweiger & L.W. Smith
Stars: Jeff Batton, Bryen C. Winstead, Mathew Palmer
MPAA Rating: UNRATED
Studio: Gypsy Lar Productions, Ariztical Entertainment
Running time: 128 Minutes
Official Website: Myspace.com/thebooksofjohn


This film represents a strong first attempt by a couple that are the projects writers, directors and producers. The title and main plot offer a fairly credible story that keeps one involved to a point. The young gay boys subplot and characters are underdeveloped and the lesbian couple triangle subplot is nearly undetectable.

The story takes place in Atlanta, Georgia, and Cullman, Alabama. Frank (Jeff Batton) has lost his lover of twelve years John (Rick Pauley) to a heart attack. His friends, all gay or lesbian, gather around to comfort him. A couple of months after the funeral, Frank begins to clean out John’s things with the help of his lesbian neighbor and best friend, Jen (Alesha K Willis). He discovers a set of diaries in their hope chest going back to John's childhood, which Frank knew nothing about. Obsessed with the idea of his lover having a secret life, Frank leaves Atlanta for Cullman to discover the truth. He inquires about John but hits a dead end. There he meets Trevor who is secretly gay and the two proceed to fall in love. However Trevor cannot move to Atlanta to live with Frank because he must take care of his dear old Grandma Ruth (Peggy Brown) who is all the family he has left since his mother died of Lupus.

However, Frank is determined to find out more about John. Referencing the diaries, he implores Trevor to inquire of his dear Grandma some more, which he does. Emotions run the gamut as secrets are revealed and fears are laid to rest.

Meanwhile, open relationship party boys Will (Mathew Palmer) and Ben (Bajo Sonubi) don’t understand why Frank is so distraught over the death of his lover. Callous and narcissistic, it is only when Will discovers he is HIV that the specter of mortality rings true and they become sympathetic to the grief of others.

If there was a gay and lesbian-themed soap opera on network television, this might be it. The Georgian accent of the actors only adds to the Gone With The Wind (1939) schmaltz. Nonetheless, the story is endearing and if you like steamy and romantic gay and lesbian kissing scenes, this film has some very good ones. I suspect the script read pretty well and that the story was genuinely heartfelt. Unfortunately the cinematic storytelling does not seem to match.

Messers Schweiger and Smith’s directing capabilities do not appear to match their writing. The film is amateurish and you definitely feel by the end that the cast and crew were all friends before they met on this production. The locations and sets are good, the sound quality is dreadful, the sound track soapy and while the editing is not bad, the acting is poor enough to take you out of the story from time to time. Another first time director, George A. Romero, used his friends and family in his first film, Night of the Living Dead (1968), to good effect. Not so here. That is why so many freshman filmmakers do horror or thriller movies the first time out instead of melodramas.

If you like gay-themed dramas, The Books of John is worth a look as long as you don’t expect too much when you open the cover.