OnlineBookClub.org

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Shepherding Cassie" by Michael Oborn.]

Shepherding Cassie by Michael Oborn is a feature-length film script and I am very much looking forward to seeing it on either the big or the not-so-big screen. With an opening rather reminiscent of The Blues Brothers 2000, Obie is released from prison and it looks like he’s going to have to walk home to Deuteronomy. Then, his seriously misguided son, Laurence, arrives and tells him he’s not welcome there and takes him to Paradise instead. Laurence is a doctor and the mayor of Deuteronomy; he has the Sheriff in his pocket, and he is convinced that his 9-year-old daughter, Cassie, needs to go to a brutal ’homosexual cure clinic’ because she enjoys gymnastics and wears jeans. Obie is outraged and sets out to save his much-loved granddaughter. However, the odds are stacked against him as Laurence takes out a restraining order, and the sheriff is looking for any excuse to have Obie sent straight back to jail.

It’s an exciting story with murder, punch-ups, venomous snakes, attempted rape, corruption and medical ’science’ at its very worst. Wrapped around all of this action is Obie’s overwhelming love for his family and his determination to protect his grandchildren. His relationship with little Cassie is heartwarming and their conversations are often both charming and funny. There are laugh-out-loud moments as well.

I liked the way flashbacks were used to give insights into Obie’s past and his motivations. Through them, we come to understand the poisonous relationship that exists between him and his son. I also liked the little twist at the end where there is a shifting of responsibility between the sexes. The only part I didn’t like was the business with the snake. Having a guy with a clipboard writing down the steps he’s going to take in order to plant a venomous snake just seemed weird. Also, if he didn’t want it to look like it had been planted, he should have shaken it out of the bag rather than just lobbing it in, bag and all.

The screenplay is correctly formatted but there are some issues. A description with the name in capitals should be given whenever a character first speaks. Carol’s first lines are on page 13, but her description is on page 24. Cassie doesn’t have a formal, capitalised description and her age is not given. Her brothers Brian and Barry are not described at all.

There are also some problems with continuity. Jake is initially described as 58 years old but later, he is described as being 56. At one point, Cassie is wearing a leotard, yet Laurence asks her why she’s wearing jeans. On page 35, the sheriff gets demoted to deputy sheriff. Finally, there is a large number of typos, ’throbing grief’, ’sandwitches’ ’retreaves’ and ’liertenant’ are just a few.

Despite there being various issues with the composition of the screenplay, I do feel that the content is extremely good and I enjoyed it a great deal. For that reason, I am giving it 3 out of 4 stars.

This screenplay will appeal to people who enjoy crime thrillers that are driven by personalities as well as by the action.

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Shepherding Cassie
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Like Helen_Combe's review? Post a comment saying so!

You have such attention to detail when describing the good and the bad in your reviews. He lobbed the snake in the bag, but didn't want it to look planted? That's hilarious. Not sure this one is for me. I read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and can't say the layout of a script is my style.

kfwilson6 wrote: ↑05 Jul 2018, 11:31 You have such attention to detail when describing the good and the bad in your reviews. He lobbed the snake in the bag, but didn't want it to look planted? That's hilarious. Not sure this one is for me. I read Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and can't say the layout of a script is my style.

Thank you, I found the snake part hilarious too. This is the first time I’ve reviewed a script and it was rather a challenge.

Lawrence sounds like a piece of work. I always picture the book I'm reading as a movie in my head. I suppose this was a lot easier to do with a script?
Thanks Helen, great review, as always

Bianka Walter wrote: ↑05 Jul 2018, 14:06 Lawrence sounds like a piece of work. I always picture the book I'm reading as a movie in my head. I suppose this was a lot easier to do with a script?
Thanks Helen, great review, as always

Thank you very much. It’s actually harder to picture as it's mainly dialogued and you get very limited description. It’s up to the director to flesh it out.

Hm, interesting plot.. Looks like a dramatic rollercoaster of feelings; and not very good ones. Didn't get the snake part flop, but I also couldn't find the connection between that and the actual storyline...
This might not be my kind of book, but thanks for your review

Nmadinachi Egwim wrote: ↑05 Jul 2018, 15:49 Hm, interesting plot.. Looks like a dramatic rollercoaster of feelings; and not very good ones. Didn't get the snake part flop, but I also couldn't find the connection between that and the actual storyline...
This might not be my kind of book, but thanks for your review

Thank you for posting. He chucked the snake into the cab of a truck, but as he left it there in the bag, it was obvious that the snake hadn’t got there by itself.

I always appreciate an insightful and honest review. Thanks for your detailed information. The plot sounds interesting and engaging.

onixpam wrote: ↑05 Jul 2018, 16:41 I always appreciate an insightful and honest review. Thanks for your detailed information. The plot sounds interesting and engaging.

Thank you. It was a very good plot.

It’s an exciting story with murder, punch-ups, venomous snakes, attempted rape, corruption and medical ’science’ at its very worst. Wrapped around all of this action is Obie’s overwhelming love for his family and his determination to protect his grandchildren. His relationship with little Cassie is heartwarming and their conversations are often both charming and funny. There are laugh-out-loud moments as well

.
The description above trumps some of the reservations I would usually have with the lack of continuity you mentioned. I found your review really engaging. Thanks!

Cecilia_L wrote: ↑05 Jul 2018, 17:21

It’s an exciting story with murder, punch-ups, venomous snakes, attempted rape, corruption and medical ’science’ at its very worst. Wrapped around all of this action is Obie’s overwhelming love for his family and his determination to protect his grandchildren. His relationship with little Cassie is heartwarming and their conversations are often both charming and funny. There are laugh-out-loud moments as well

.
The description above trumps some of the reservations I would usually have with the lack of continuity you mentioned. I found your review really engaging. Thanks!

Thank you.

So fascinating that this story was in the form of a screenplay! I've read lots of plays before, but never a screenplay. Seems like it could do with one more edit, but other than that sounds great!

meadhbh wrote: ↑05 Jul 2018, 19:32 So fascinating that this story was in the form of a screenplay! I've read lots of plays before, but never a screenplay. Seems like it could do with one more edit, but other than that sounds great!

Exactly! Thanks for posting.

It sounds like an interesting premise for a story - I find it quite hard reading plays (and I haven't tried screenplays yet) but I would enjoying watching this one on the big screen...

Julie Green wrote: ↑06 Jul 2018, 01:51 It sounds like an interesting premise for a story - I find it quite hard reading plays (and I haven't tried screenplays yet) but I would enjoying watching this one on the big screen...

I’m hoping yo see it there too. Thanks for posting.