Book of Stars (Widescreen): Amazon.ca: Mary Stuart Masterson, Jena Malone, Karl Geary, Delroy Lindo, Monica Hart, D.B. Sweeney, Gina Nagy, Tina Marie Goff, Sean G. Griffin, John Considine, Bob Morrisey, Kevin Phillip, Michael Miner, Adrianna A.J. Cohen, David Skinner, Janet Fries Eckholm, Larry Estes, Marie Cantin, Roger Baerwolf, Tasca Shadix: DVD

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Themes of hope, survival, love, and loss spread like a quiet storm through The Book of Stars, a tale of two sisters (played by Mary Stuart Masterson and Jena Malone). Penny (Masterson) cares for her younger sister Mary (Malone), who suffers from cystic fibrosis. "Cares for" is a questionable term, as the hardened, edgy Penny secretly makes her living in the world's oldest profession while popping pills to help numb her from the grim reality of her job and the impending loss of her sister. Mary, a romantic daydreamer who faces her disease with a graceful, knowing spirit, remembers the days when her big sister was a "brilliant" published poet, and she pours her every thought, memory, and dream into a lovingly crafted scrapbook she calls "the book of stars." These old souls with young faces cope with many difficulties, but they discover small joys with the help of a disabled neighbor (Delroy Lindo), a refugee from war-torn Eastern Europe (Karl Geary), and a convict in the state pen (D.B. Sweeney).

The film shines through Masterson, whose Penny burns with an underlying intensity that makes the character's conflicted position of duty and resentment feel mighty and palpable. The rest of the cast give gentle performances that match the film's warmly lit cinematography, making The Book of Stars a poignant and delicate watch as well as a showcase for Masterson's talents. -- Shannon Gee

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Customer Reviews

16 Reviews

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

Average Customer Review

4.3 out of 5 stars (16 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars my humble opinion, Jan 8 2002

By

David Lee "spacedog12" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Book of Stars (Widescreen) (DVD)

Fascinating movie that I happened to see on IFC or Cinemax. And this coming from a guy who thinks every movie doesn't have enough babes or guns. Anyway, I was transfixed by the complicated relationships between these characters. Everyone had some type of pain in their lives and needed someone else to heal them or give them hope - Mary needed her sister to take care of her and Kristjan as the only one to see her as more than a child, the professor needed the sisters to rescue as a respite from his lonely existance, the convict needed Penny's book of poetry and Mary's kind letters as a way to survive the harsh life of prison, and Kristjan needed to learn how to care again after the war in his home country. And Penny, reluctant Penny, hides from reality and dulls her sense of her responsibility and unfortunate circumstances. She of all requires the most help - the tragic character who is rescued by her sister Mary. Mary is the focal point for the convict, Kristjan, and the professor and she inadvertently magnifies all their hopes and kindness to Penny. That's what I assumed the sun symbolized, Mary shining her indomitable spirit onto Penny, the peripheral characters were the stars. I'm probably reading too much into the symbolism. Excellent performances by all, very moving picture, quiet, imaginative and most of all hopeful...

Another movie similar in its quest of surviving the inevitable is Sweet Jane, a gritty drama about an addict adopted by a terminally ill child and how they help each other with life and death.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Another pearl worth searching for..., May 29 2002

By

Mario Jaspers (Columbus, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Book of Stars, the (VHS Tape)

Bumped into this one at the library. Wow! The blockbusters and spectacles are fine, but it's little gems like this one that outdoes them all. Jena Malone shines (no big surprise), Mary Stuart Masterson does a fine job. They are well-supported by Delroy Lindo, Karl Geary and D.B. Sweeney. The music is haunting - wish a soundtrack was available. The art in Mary's (Jena Malone) book is a good match for the music and the free-verse poetry of Penny (Mary Stuart Masterson) and Mary. In fact, this movie has inspired me to start writing poetry. I enjoy action/adventure movies, dramas, and comedies, but movies like "The Book of Stars" linger on while the others fade. Well worth at least one viewing (I lost count how many times I've watched it!)

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2.0 out of 5 stars Depressing and predictable, Aug 1 2001

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paloma - See all my reviews

This review is from: Book of Stars, the (VHS Tape)

The characters are cliched, the plot is obvious but Karl Geary is gorgeous and a fine actor (as usual).

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