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| Lick Movie Poster - Passionflix |
This is how it's done and done very well indeed.
That was the opening line of my book review for Kylie Scott's novel Lick in 2013. I rated the book 10 stars then, and 11 years later, this movie is my first to receive a 10-star rating. I have read and listened to the novel many times through the years, and the movie is so authentically done that I watched it 20 times in the first 13 days.
The stars have "literally" aligned because this Passionflix movie (movie trailer) is undeniably an accurate adaptation of the book, but with an outstanding Stage Dive original music soundtrack to liven everything up. Almost all of the book's key scenes are represented comparably in the movie. They are insightfully portrayed by Travis Burns as David Ferris, Brooke Lee as Evelyn Thomas, and Joseph McNabb as Malcolm "Mal" Ericson. The roles of Lauren and Sam are portrayed with genuineness by Amanda Tavarez and Aaron Quick Nelson, respectively. Eric Brody, as Jimmy Ferris, and Zack Mines, as Ben, don't have enough screen time to get a true sense of their abilities, but they show definite intensity in their limited time in character. With each viewing, I'm further surprised by Travis's remarkable performance. His screen presence, the natural way he delivers his lines, his gestures, facial expressions, his sparkling smile, and the way he looks at Ev are all so nuanced and genuine-feeling. Crush-worthy Book David has been elevated to top infatuation status by Movie David. The absence of long hair, different eye colors, and nonidentical tattoos can't detract from Travis being the ideal choice for David. Brooke Lee's Ev is adorable, charming, and radiant. She is exactly the right kind of "different" for David, who notices her inherent goodness from the start. Joseph McNabb was born to play Mal, who is the most endearing and entertaining of all the characters.
The movie arc makes for a fulfilling story, even though necessary steps had to be taken to condense a 300+ page book into an hour and forty-one minutes. (The movie is fast-paced with rapid dialogue and so many noteworthy scenes that I can't pick one favorite.) From the opening scene to the superb swoon-worthy musical conclusion, Lick is a wholly rewarding romantic movie experience. Hopefully, the powers that be have determined that with Lick's success, the other three novels need to be optioned and produced with the same level of detail. And with the same cast, crew, and perfect casting of the new female leads.
Ten shiny (rock) stars for this faithful adaptation!
*Content advisory: partial nudity, tasteful sex scenes, language (lots of f-bombs!). These are rock stars, people. 😉
