Ms. Arwen is the self-proclaimed Ms. Romance. Author
of several previously published romance novels, Ms Arwen
now offers her fans another take on romance - by playing
Hollywood at its own game.
How often so we fall in love with movie stars, even after
seeing them in just one film? Was it the character he/she
portrayed, or was it something about the actor's charisma
in the role? Do our feelings continue into the actor's next
role? What if each time that actor played a different role
- hero, villain, comedy, etc - do we continue to have the
same feelings for the actor? If so, why, and what are the
characteristics of each actor we appreciate that keeps us
wanting more?
Ms. Arwen offers 52 examples with in-depth explanations that
answer all of these questions and then some, utilizing not
just actors, but also other respected, and some not so respected,
known personalities we look to as role models.
For example, Mr. Sean Connery, the first example in this
book, has long been thought of as the hero's hero, a real
man's man. From his role as the unstoppable sexy James Bond
to the voice-over her did for Dragonheart, Connery's charisma
translated through each role. Is this because each role is
written with these characteristics in mind, or is it something
in Sean Connery himself? Is it his striking good looks, his
air of physical and emotional strength, or his sideways grin
and sparkling eyes? His sexy accent doesn't hurt either! But
how can an actor portray all of these things in every role
he plays if they didn't come from within the man himself?
From gentleman spy to gentleman dragon, Mr. Connery's charisma
and charm are part of his physical make-up, and nothing can
mask that - no matter the role he plays. And it's this fact
that Ms Arwen suggests "is not merely a look or feel,
it's a way of life."
Ms. Arwen's other examples include:
Queen Latifah, a woman who lives life to the full on and off
screen. "Size does matter!" says Arwen - Live life
large! Be your own person and believe in yourself. If you
do, then others will too.
George Costanza (Seinfeld) - "Don't waste your time
on short, fat and bald men (or women)...unless you like short,
fat and bald." George's character teaches us that not
only is there someone out there for all of us, but that we
must have realistic expectations to go from Mr. Right to Mr.
Right-For-Me.
And my favorite, Pepe LePew teaches us that "love is
a strange thing." Indeed, what we pursue the most aggressively
may not be what we really want or need after all. He also
teaches us to learn from our mistakes or we will continually
suffer the same disappointment time after time.
And so it goes through a whole cast of characters. Ms. Arwyn's
collection of examples are well-explained and often funny,
giving us insight into not only the characteristics that make
up the role models we look up to, but also how we can translate
these lessons into our own lives to find the right person
for us, and more importantly, how we can improve our own outlook.
We could all save a lot of money in therapy just by reading
a few pages of this book. Well done!
