Brian by Jeremy Cooper Review

Brian is a quiet civil servant who slowly becomes a regular patron of the British Film Institute (BFI) and a part of the small community of film buffs who congregate every night at the South Bank to watch that night’s programming.

Yeah, so as you can tell from the summary above, this isn’t a plot-heavy book in the slightest! Jeremy Cooper only occasionally reveals parts of Brian’s backstory while mostly focusing on the years he spends going to the BFI and seeing movies - and yet, it’s not boring. In fact, I thought it was pretty decent.

That’s definitely though because of the person I am: someone who does subscribe to the BFI streaming service, who watches old, foreign movies each week, and whose hobby is reviewing stuff. Reading a book about the rich, wide variety of movies from all over the world from every decade and reading about Brian’s opinions on it is going to appeal to someone like me, and I enjoyed it for that.

I didn’t pick up any good recs from Brian though. His speciality is postwar Japanese cinema and I’ve seen nearly all of the notable filmmakers from this era and have my own thoughts on them (definitely can’t stand Yasujiro Ozu - I’ve tried many times to get through Tokyo Story and I can’t do it, it’s beyond boring and stupid - even though Brian, and many like him, revere him far more than the more famous Kurosawa).

But I think it’s mainly because he and I are different reviewers. Brian is a reviewer who appreciates all facets of the movies like the score, set decor, etc. and looks for reasons to convince himself he liked a movie rather than be honest about it with himself or come off as disagreeable. I’m more of a one-issue voter when it comes to film (and most art really, including books): if it’s entertaining, it can have a crap score, etc. I don’t care - entertainment is all that matters and if it achieves that, it’s a good movie.

Cooper hints that Brian might be gay and holds a candle for one of his fellow buffs, Jack, even if he won’t admit it to himself or do anything about it because of his steadfast reticence. The glimpses into Brian’s traumatic past - an abusive father, an estranged brother, the legacy of the Troubles on his generation of Irish - were fleetingly engaging, and the overall message of the importance of community is meaningful and sweet.

I just wanted more story - that’s what would’ve made this a better novel. I can read a helluva lot of reviews on movies, whether I know of them or not, but, after a spell, I’ve a hankering for a substantial story as well, and there simply isn’t enough of one here.

Brian is a fan of Mike Leigh and Ken Loach’s movies (as I am) and that’s a good comparison for this novel - if you want to read a social realist movie like Leigh and Loach have spent their careers making, or whether a non-story about a nebbish film nerd’s thoughts on watching a ton of films appeals to you, Jeremy Cooper’s Brian is worth a look.