This Will Make a Great Movie

This Is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper


My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I finished this one last night and I was very satisfied. Jonathan Tropper must have been very close to a female figure growing up or he is the most observant man ever. It’s almost like he has lived as a woman in a past life. The book is from the point of view of a man, Judd Foxman, but he is uniquely attuned to women. He describes the course of falling in love and getting into a rut in a marriage with alarmingly jarring detail.

I REALLY enjoyed this book, although I would never be able to cast the movie like I thought I would starting out. The actor playing the lead role of Judd will likely have to be a relatively unknown actor, because no current big star fits the bill in my opinion. The family is Jewish and specifically described, so blonde or straight-haired actors need not apply.

I had heard of sitting shiva before, but I am really unfamiliar with the nuances of the Jewish faith. It was nice to learn a little bit about a different culture while still enjoying a great novel. Even the ending was a nice surprise, although I saw one part coming.

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