"It's a coming-of-age story told with a sophistication that only makes it all the more touching. In recalling her youth, Rakoff is revisiting a time which has a nostalgic glow attached to it for anyone remotely interested in the power of the written word." – Sandra Hall, SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
"…a pair of knockout performances" - Kevin Maher - The Times UK
"Philippe Falardeau's gentle adaptation is full of charm and intelligence." - Joseph Walsh, The Arts Desk
New York in the 90s: After leaving graduate school to pursue her dream of becoming a writer, Joanna gets hired as an assistant to Margaret, the stoic and old-fashioned literary agent of J. D. Salinger. Fluctuating between poverty and glamour, she spends her days in a plush, wood-panelled office - where dictaphones and typewriters still reign and agents doze off after three-martini lunches - and her nights in a sink-less Brooklyn apartment with her socialist boyfriend.
Joanna’s main task is processing Salinger’s voluminous fan mail, but as she reads the heart-wrenching letters from around the world, she becomes reluctant to send the agency’s impersonal standard letter and impulsively begins personalizing the responses. The results are both humorous and moving, as Joanna, while using the great writer’s voice, begins to discover her own. The film is based upon Joanna Rakoff’s memoir.
Awards:
Nominated – Grand Prix du Jury, La Rock-sur-Yon International Film Festival, 2020