The Grip of Film

By: Richard Ayoade

Narrated by: Richard Ayoade, Jesse Eisenberg, Jon Korkes

Length: 5 hrs and 10 mins

Publisher's summary

You SLUG the guy.

You KISS the dame.

You TOTAL the car.

That's movies. And I love 'em.

Gordy LaSure's passionate about film. He eats film, he drinks film, and sometimes he'll even watch a film. But most of all, he loves talking about film, and how they'd be a shit-ton better if only people would pull their asses out of their ears and listen to Gordy LaSure.

The voyage of this audiobook can be categorised as an attempt to understand How In Hell Film Works. Why are some films bad and some films terrible? How come just a handful of films (Titanic, Porky's, Dirty Harry) are any good at all? Gordy'll tell you How and Why, and he'll give you a shot of Wherefore on the side. And he doesn't shoot from the hip; he shoots from the gut.

©2018 Chicken Leg Ltd (P)2019 Audible, Ltd

Garth Marenghi vibes

I knew Ayoade had more Marenghi energy left in him. This is like if Garth were a washed up film critic: chock full of unwarranted hubris and self importance and bursting with unintended comedic value. 10/10

Ayoade at his most Ayoade!

While i was slightly disappointed at first when I learned Jon Korkes would be lending his voice to a share of the book as well, it was actually spot on having his voice for Ayo to riff on in the footnotes frequently occurring throughout.

Note - Other reviewers are right that this book reinforces the same sad point for hours, but to me that’s a crucial part of the joke. You do have to hear lots of profanity, references to “Secret Meat,” the too-often referenced Dramedy, non-whites (whole entries are devoted to the non-personhood of anyone not fitting his Arian standards) and all the failings of women as people/ stars/ non-coeds/ [insert other infuriatingly sexist/ paternalistic descriptor here].

the more I listened, it just got funnier (i thought of it as a privilege of for once to be laughing instead of crying at these real travesties during this cathartic parody). korkes plays a great know-it-all Hollywood stereotype (perhaps just a “type”).

I love Ayoade and love his brand of humor and felt like - as a woman well past my prime according the starlet/ex-wife status defined in the book, I was all in on the joke!!!!

Tuff Boy on Movies

Unsure at first, but it got cooking. I found myself even agreeing with Gordy on some things. I must be garbage. But this book sure isn't! The re-enactments are superb!

Hilarity Ensues

This audiobook had me in full belly laughter while driving alone through Florida backroads. Thoroughly enjoyable. Ayoade, as per yusge, does not disappoint.

relentless farce

I can't say that I really understand any of it, but I could not stop laughing. so I took some breaks to breathe and recover, but it was just as ridiculously funny when I returned. I did eventually finish the whole audiobook and I don't know whether to be proud, ashamed or grateful.

He should have dropped the Gordy persona

I know this is meant as a parody, but the choice of this fictional Gordy LaSure as the "voice" of the book made this almost too painful to get through. I appreciate the voice acting in the Audible release and the occasional flashes of Ayoade film wit that we've experienced in his other books. But this Gordy character presented as a misogynist caricature of a film director was just so, so painful. I was just determined to finish it because (1) I paid for this Audible title and (2) I don't like leaving even bad books only partially read.

So disappointing.

Should have listened to a preview

Pointless audiobook, very little Ayoade to listen to. Check out an audio preview before purchase.

Stacey

I am a huge fan of Richard Ayoade, but this book is odd in that his—satirical?—take on Hollywood is performed by a character. I would have liked it much more if it was like, “Ayoade on Top,” and was just him, in his own voice, laying out his thoughts on the film industry.

My take

it's not one my favourite Ayoade's book. I prefer View from the top with his own dissertation on a film

False advertising

This is only nominal a Richard Ayoade book. His narration is to read the title of each chapter, and any footnotes; maybe 2%. If you were hoping for more like "Ayoade On Top", be prepared for disappointment. I didn't find this book funny or clever.