This page-turner of a memoir had us at its subtitle: “The true story of a father who let his son drop out of school – if he watched three movies a week.”
Now, that may not be everyone’s idea of good parenting but, hey, it certainly takes home schooling to a whole new level. Over the course of 118 movies, David Gilmour and his teenage son Jesse, learn about life – both real and reel. Starting with Truffaut’s “The 400 Blows,” and covering everything from classics like “Roman Holiday” and “Dr. No” to eyebrow-raisers like “Basic Instinct,” the pair bond over a fascinating selection of movies that probably reveals as much about the father as they’re teaching the son. What happens offscreen becomes just as important as – really, more important than — what’s happening on it.
Gilmour is a former film critic and TV host, so his take on movies is thoughtful, often enlightening and always fun to read. His parenting style, on the other hand, is, sort of fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants-and-hope-your-love-will-be-
enough-to-keep-your-child-safe-and-happy – making him very easy to relate to.
You may not come away from this book, ready to follow in Gilmour’s footsteps, but you’ll definitely have a great list of films ready for your next family movie night.
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