THE BOOK OF LOVE/ THE DEVIL AND THE DEEP BLUE SEA

US, 2016, 106 minutes, Colour.
Jason Sudeikis, Maisie Williams, Jessica Biel, Mary Steenburgen, Orlando Jones, Richard Robichaux, Paul Reiser, Bryan Batt, Jayson Warner Smith.
Directed by Bill Purple.


There will probably be quite mixed reactions to this film. It does not quite go as expected all as the title, The Book of Love, might indicate.

While the film opens with the deep blue sea, parts of wreckage from a raft, this gives a melancholy tone to what follows.

At first, the film is a pleasant light drama about the life of a devoted husband and wife, Jason Sudeikis and Jessica Biel. (Jessica Biel’s husband in real life, Justin Timberlake, wrote the musical score.) Suddenly, the wife is killed in a car accident leaving the husband grief stricken and alone. His pressurised by his boss because he has a very successful architectural career ahead of him. He is also pressurised by his mother-in-law, a rather steely Mary Steenburgen.

However, as he grieves, a young woman, Millie (Maisie Williams from Game of Thrones) comes into his life, says she has no family, says she fears he is a pervert, but then believes him, settles down and with two of his eccentric friends, they decide to build a raft which she wants.

Eventually, the raft is finished, the husband decides to give up his job – but, Millie’s uncle tries to take her back and she suffers an accident. But, after recovering, the husband decides definitely to go with Millie on the raft and the implication is – to what?


1. The title and expectations? Love, book? The role of the sea?

2. The New Orleans setting, the city, the sea, homes, the streets? The countryside? The musical score?

3. The opening, the raft adrift, the wreckage and the sea? Sense of anticipation? The recurring of images at the end?

4. Henry and Penny, the relationship, love, her pregnancy? The joking character? Henry’s response? At home, his work? His boss and the possible promotions? The phone call, and his death?

5. Penny, her charm, distracted on the road, the revelation about Millie’s presence? At her death, her words? Stories and images of Penny recurring throughout the film?

6. Henry, the reaction, his grief, silence? The pressure from his boss? His not wanting to go back to work? The clashes with Julia?

7. Julia, strong-minded, the loss of her daughter, criticisms of Henry, his not wanting to go back to work, her reprimanding him? His stating that Penny wanted him to be himself?

8. Millie, wandering, the encounter with Henry, his approach, her saying he was a pervert, his denials? Shelter? In the house? In the shed? Some comments about her background, her family? Her wanting to build a raft? The beginnings, Henry allowing it, helping her? Henry’s friends, Dumbass, Pascal and his speaking French? Around the house, helping?

9. Millie and a change of attitude, the effect on Henry? The building of the raft?

10. The gradual revelation of Millie and Penny’s death? The flashbacks to Millie being present, and her words? Her having the photo and Henry being upset at finding it?

11. The completion of the raft, Henry and his decision to go? Millie and her accident, her uncle and his wanting her back? Her being in hospital?

12. Henry’s final decision, on the raft, going into the sea – to what purpose?

13. New life? Death?