Radio Free Albemuth (2010)

Radio Free Albemuth: Directed by John Alan Simon. With Shea Whigham, Jonathan Scarfe, Michael Rothhaar, Katheryn Winnick. Berkeley record store clerk Nick Brady (Jonathan Scarfe) begins to experience strange visions from an entity he calls VALIS that cause him to uproot his family and move to Los Angeles where he becomes a successful music company executive. With the help of best friend, science fiction writer Philip K. Dick himself (Shea Whigam) and a mysterious woman named Silvia (Alanis Morissette), Nick finds himself drawn into a dangerous political-mystical conspiracy of cosmic proportions. The story is set in an alternate reality America circa 1985 under the authoritarian control of President Fremont, a Nixon-like clone (Scott Wilson).

“There are a lot of issues with this adaption of a fantastic book. The acting is ok but the actress playing heaven is somewhat stagnant and lacks emotional range.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe other issue is the actresses chosen to play Leigh, heaven and fanny, whilst lovely, are not attractive enough to play the characters they are supposed to be playing. Not that these women are in any way unattractive, but heaven and Leigh are said to be absolutely stunning in addition to Leigh being blonde like Jillian and heaven is certainly not a redhead.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe character of kitty Denison was also very disappointing to me. She is described as red headed, voluptuous and callous in the books, not a blonde sweet as pie stick figure that occasionally looks daggers rather than the constant violent beatings in the book.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe other issue I had is the sets. Farthingale manor is nowhere near as grand as described in the books, and the cabin the casteel family live in is far too modern, large, filled with furniture and well maintained rather than the dingy shack in the book that makes heavenu0026#39;s story that much more incredible.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eSo much was left out of the movie from the books that the whole mood is gone and this feels more like a bold and the beautiful episode at times. We also donu0026#39;t see enough of heavenu0026#39;s introduction to her new wealthy life.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNow onto the positives.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eJason priestly was a great tony, and Jillian was well acted. Fanny and heaven were too stiff and underwhelming for me but they had an alright delivery. For a stand alone movie itu0026#39;s ok, but as a tribute to the book it was upsetting and not recognizable apart from the characters names.”