Book Review | Admit One: A journey into film by Emmett James

Admit One: A Journey Into Film – buy this book

Rating

3.5 stars – an amusing tale and a reminder of childhood dreams

Description

If you have ever truly loved a film, you will surely find yourself within these pages. Set in Croydon, South London, in the 1980s, ADMIT ONE details how self-deprecating writer Emmett James escaped from the pains of adolescence by going to the cinema. Through wry wit and observation, the writer reflects, obsesses, and rages about film and its correlation to our pasts. Life soon imitates art, and the narrator finds that his true calling is in transcendence from one side of the screen to the other. He decides to leave England for the only place where he can realize his dream of becoming an actor: Hollywood.

Why did you read this book?

Lisa Roe emailed me recommending this book and sent me a copy for me to review. I’ve never read a memoir before so thought this would be as good as any a place to start!

Book review

Emmett James is an English born actor who moved to Hollywood in an attempt to realise his dreams – his memoir is very cleverly written, relating moments in his life to movies of the time.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I opened the book – but any book that starts with reference to Walt Disney and The Jungle Book in the first chapter will catch my attention!

I found myself laughing out loud as I read through the chapters; at the image of Emmett arriving at the cinema and falling asleep after the opening credits, because at the tender age of six “being in a room where the lights slowly dimmed was a sure sign it was bedtime”!

The book is split into two parts – the earlier one covering his childhood in Croydon, where the films he watches on a Saturday afternoon have some bearing on his life from attaching a basket to the front of his BMX should he ever need to rescue an alien, to dressing up in a karate suit to was cars in the neighbourhood. The second part of the book covers his arrival in Hollywood and his struggle to find a part in a movie as something other than an extra

This is an easy read (with the short sections I appreciate so much!) and gives a candid insight into James’ life – it does however have some offensive language scattered throughout – just in case you like to be warned about that kind of thing.

James’ biggest part to date was as a steward in the box-office smash Titanic; but since he kindly signed my copy I’ll be keeping hold of it in case he ever makes it really big

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