HIts, Flops, and Other Illusions by Ed Zwick
In this candid, engaging memoir, Edward Zwick looks back at his career as a leading director, producer, and writer, offering revealing stories and keen observations about some of the stars he’s worked with, including Tom Cruise, Denzel Washington, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, and others. But like Zwick’s movies, which have tended to be not just entertaining but about something, the book goes beyond these Hollywood insider tales. It’s a reflective and instructive examination of his own evolution as a filmmaker and professional storyteller. And it’s a rumination on what’s become of the business of moviemaking—how hard it actually is to get anything made, given the budget issues, studio demands, and capriciousness of actors.