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At Amazon Studios

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My Work at Amazon Studios

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Reviews I've Written

GIFT CARD, Russell's Original Draft

2 out of 2 people found the following review helpful:

Good job.

Overall Recommendation:
4 stars
 
Premise:
No rating
 
Story structure:
No rating
 
Character:
No rating
 
Dialogue:
No rating
 
Emotion:
No rating
 
June 27, 2012
Wonderful, even, funny comic tone throughout.
Very professional handling of the comedy--pulling back when it verged on cruelty, yet letting it loose to great effect at times (the COCKY HOTSHOT boss tossing the resume into the trash)!
Very well done vignettes, particularly at the beginning. The bit with the elderly woman was put together very nicely with the funny twist at the end with the Construction worker.
The patter between the couple had some good unexpected bits in it too.
For me, the comedy of character that you're working in earns my laughter. Much more enjoyable than the breaking-of-the-social-norms or gross out comedy that has been in vogue recently.
Five stars for that.
All in all, I see the makings of a good movie here that will provide solid entertainment. Not there yet but you seem to have all the tools to make it happen.
That said, although I read it through, and it held my attention, there is a little tension missing. The story perhaps needs to be stirred up in some unpredictable ways. I also thought that the ending needs work. Not sure exactly what that would be but even though it had a twist to it, and everybody ends up okay--which is how comedies should end--it still seemed a little predictable.
One of the ways your script succeeds is that though you've put a lot of hard work into it, it is an easy read--you're not aware of the work but swept along by the easy-going comic invention. Another five stars for that.
Good luck with it!
 

Asphalt John (Careful Who You Screw With), Richard's 2nd Draft

0 out of 1 people found the following review helpful:

Great title! The mean streets, down-and-out, Big Bad John--brings all those to mind.

Overall Recommendation:
4 stars
 
Premise:
4 stars
 
Story structure:
4 stars
 
Character:
3 stars
 
Dialogue:
3 stars
 
Emotion:
3 stars
 
June 01, 2011
First things first: as all the other reviewers have noted, you've got the basics covered, a story that drives right along, holds a reader's interest, and, while not rivetingly original, has enough of it's own style and character to engage the reader.
I don't want to repeat what other reviewers have said (the compliments are deserved) but to take it to another level would like to make a few suggestions.
It's interesting to me that your description--which is inventive and imaginative for the most part--doesn't carry over into the dialog. I wished you'd stepped out a bit more there, taken more of a risk to make the character's dialog more biting and individualistic. With this particular type of story you've got a lot of leeway in what you can do.
A few lines were striking: John, pg 5: "... with money like that (he'd) never find the surface." Great! Love to hear more like that.
On the other hand, does this line sound a bit awkward? Pg. 52: "He didn't have any balls so we cut the phony ones off."
Likewise with: "You kill whoever knows about this new identity he concocted for himself."
On page 60 Celia delivers a long speech: "I'm going to make you love me." Etc. A stock speech, off the shelf, but is it necessary? At that moment I would say to trust the cameras and the actors--most of what she says they could convey, making real what now seems a bit stale.
In general, I would say that because you are dealing with stock characters (the whore with the heart of gold, etc.) the more you can individualize the dialog the more alive the piece will seem.
There's some great pieces of description: somebody with "..more belly than shoulders." Good writing. Love to see that same sensibility play with the dialog.
The piece is an interesting blend of genres. I thought of both Die Hard and The Lost Weekend as I was reading.
Once again, great job with what you've done so far!
I look forward to checking in from time to time to see where it's going...
 

Favorite Movies

Casablanca, Godfather I and II, City Lights, Singin' in the Rain, Carrie, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Last Picture Show, Footloose, Ray, Pleasantville, Walk the Line, Thelma and Louise, Catch Me If You Can, E.T., Back to the Future
 

Influences

In chronological order: Marvel Comics, Grimm's Fairy Tales, Robert A. Heinlein, Ray Bradbury, Science Fiction in General, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Hemingway, Eugene O'Neill, Tennessee Williams, Arthur Miller, Shakespeare
 

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