Tom Hanks’ new novel, “The Making Of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece,” pays homage to the world of creativity. It also lauds upward mobility via meritocracy, as several characters rise from humble status to greater heights because they always strive to do the best possible job in all circumstances.
Hanks’ long, successful career as an actor and producer has given him an abundance of knowledge about the movie business. Sometimes abundance can be a negative. This tale of the creation of a film, while well written, can become a sluggish overload of technical minutia as the author ladles out: camera specifications, make up tricks, set constructions, catering menus … ad infinitum. This tends to slow the character development, and Hanks has created some interesting characters.