Book & Film Pairings, edition 4

Welcome to another post where I pair books and films with similar themes or content! Today’s post is all about romantic comedies that happen to share a church-centric setting of some kind.

All three are self aware of their churchy humor (if you know, you know). And, they all balance humor, romance, and a serious side. Having spent time myself on a worship team, various committees, children’s choir leadership, etc., I definitely related to the humor and situations in these stories! Maybe you will, too. 😉

Off-Script & Over-Caffeinated by Kaley and Rhonda Rea

This lighthearted romcom has the planning of a children’s community theater play as a backdrop to much of the characters’ interactions. The cat-owning beta hero and the grouchy barista are my favorite characters. In addition to some hilarious dragon-building and dress shopping situations, it intentionally spoofs Hallmark movies and tropes throughout.

Then There Was You by Kara Isaac

The comedy in this story is all about clumsiness, fish-out-of-water situations (American girl in Australia!), and the trickiness of working in a megachurch (that’s sarcasm). The emotional journey of healing its romantic leads traverse, though, is most impactful and impressive. It’s a fav!

The Resurrection of Gavin Stone (2016)

It has been a while since I watched this movie, but I love the cast and remember thinking the story was fun and enlightening. I’m pairing it with the books for its comedy and play-planning story content, as well as the unexpected romance and deeper lessons its characters learn. While its hero “pretends” to fit in to the church culture while fulfilling a community service sentence, he learns what true service and faith looks like in action. AND he falls for the pastor’s daughter along the way.

Book & Film Pairings, edition 3

Welcome to my blog series pairing favorite stories in book and film format. In this third edition, I’m sharing a book and two movies that share this commonality: high tech heist/spy thrillers!

Ocean’s 11 is a favorite! It covers the HEIST aspect with sleight of hand, humor, and an iconic cast. Its plot involves a team of thief-friends who assemble, prepare, and execute a plan to rob the Bellagio casino in Las Vegas. Simultaneously, a deeper emotional-driven plot is built up as the leader, played by George Clooney, tries to win back his ex-wife, played by Julia Roberts. Who happens to be dating the casino owner. 😉 Filled with quotable lines and smart storytelling, it’s a must-watch for any heist/comedy/action fans!

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. revives the classic TV series with an updated cast and an intriguing Cold War-era setting. It’s a classic enemies-forced-to-work-together plot as agents from the CIA, KGB, and maybe one or two other clandestine agencies work to thwart the plot of a criminal organization and their nuclear plans. It has globe-trotting fun, high tech gadgets, a killer soundtrack, and 3 main characters whose on-screen banter and chemistry is off. the. charts. I really, really, want Hollywood to give us a sequel with more animosity between Solo and Illya and more romance with Illya and Gaby.

The Gryphon Heist by James Hannibal is my book recommendation paired with these films. It features a brilliant ensemble cast of characters from sanctioned government organizations and freelance thieves joining forces to protect a defense design project… and possibly uncover a traitor. It’s fun, high tech, witty, and fast paced ~~ everything you could want in a thriller!

If you have read or watched these, I would love to hear your thoughts! Do you have other novels or movies that feature a heist or ensemble agent/thief combo to recommend?

Book & Film Pairings, edition 2

Welcome to a new series on the blog pairing favorite stories in book and film format! This is my second edition of sharing a recommended book and movie with reasons you should check them out! Today’s genre is a mashup of two cultures, family drama, restaurants, and food love!

The Hundred-Foot Journey, based on novel, follows an Indian family as they start over with a restaurant in a new country, France. The central character is the eldest son, who dreams of continuing in the culinary world but going about it differently than his family expects. All of this conspires with a rival-turned-friend restauranteur neighbor, a thread of romance, the wonder of discovering a new culture, and a good bit of humor. I really appreciated its subtle lessons on how people can defy expectations in the best way.

A Portrait of Emily Price by Katherine Reay is a favorite novel of mine. Like the movie mentioned above, it melds two characters from completely different cultures – in this case, American and Italian. The cultures serve cleverly to highlight the characters’ shared passions and facets that make them unique. The novel’s whirlwind romance is more central to the story. It shares a culture shock factor with the movie, with an exquisite setting – the Italian countryside! I love seeing the relationship between Emily and Ben, the hero, progress in this story, but mostly I love seeing Emily learn and grow as she takes risks, makes mistakes, and steps out beyond herself.

If you have read or watched either of these, I would love to hear your thoughts! Do you have other novels or movies to recommend that feature adjusting to different cultures or finding home in an unexpected place?

Having visited Italy in 2019, I am just enamored with that culture. Do you have any Italian-set movies or novels to recommend?