EL SEGUNDO HERALD July 26, 2018 Page 13
Entertainment
Check It Out
Riveting I’ll Be Gone in the Dark
Traces Serial Murderer’s Path
Jeff Huttinger.
Reviewed by Jeff Huttinger, Library
Assistant, El Segundo Public Library
You have to prepare yourself when reading
true crime – a hardening of the heart, if you
will. Somber tributes by victims’ families,
dripping with affection and loss, tug at the
heartstrings so fiercely that you wince at
the thought of turning another page. Many
times, a lack of closure can frustrate as
a still unknown killer remains at-large denying
the reader a true ending -- and along with
it, any sense of fairness in the world. Not
to mention the violent imagery that keeps
you up at night. There are grisly details so
jarring that you have to turn away every
few chapters.
Tragically, author Michelle McNamara’s
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, a book of obsessive
determination and self-sacrifice, comes with
an added layer of misfortune. McNamara
died suddenly in early 2016, prior to the
completion of the book, of an accidental
overdose, but her life’s work is not in vain.
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark is an incredibly
well-written and easily accessible chronicling
of the terror elicited on California from
1974 to 1986 by a serial murderer dubbed
the Golden State Killer. This monster is ultimately
responsible for at least 12 murders
and more than 50 rapes.
Through meticulous research, McNamara
takes the reader back in time, tracing a
route from victim to victim while touring
various locations in the present day. Dark
is filled with eyewitness interviews, police
procedure, forensic evidence and thoughtful
speculation from dedicated amateur sleuths
just as determined to solve the mystery as
the author herself.
Make no mistake, however. It is McNamara’s
heart and dogged perseverance that truly
elevates this material above traditional true
crime. Nowhere in the book is it more absorbing
(and more somber) than the pages
dedicated to Michelle’s wonderful family and
the balancing act she endured daily juggling
parental/spousal responsibility with a tenacious
pursuit of justice. She spent countless
hours poring over decades-old police reports
and ghastly crime scene photos until the wee
hours of the morning, all while her family
slept peacefully nearby. But as McNamara
described the elation of tiny details connecting
together to form a bigger picture, one
gets the sense that she wouldn’t have had
it any other way.
There have been several updates to the
Golden State Killer case since the release of
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark, including a likely
suspect. A true ending to this book may be
imminent -- and with it, one less reason to
deny yourself such an amazing read.
To check out I’ll Be Gone in the Dark,
also available in e-book and audiobook
formats, or browse any of our other true
crime titles, please visit the library to apply
for your free library card. This book
would also qualify for prizes in our Adult
Summer Reading program, going on now
through September 1. The program includes
activities, raffles and fun events! For more
information, or to sign up, please stop by
the Adult Reference Desk. •
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark by Michelle McNamara.
Film Review
The Meaning of Love Is Explored
in the Futuristic Drama, Zoe
By Morgan Rojas
for www.cinemacy.com
Drake Doremus has done it again. The independent
film director takes the familiar theme
of love in modern relationships and adds an
exciting new sci-fi element to his latest romantic
drama, Zoe. Starring Ewan McGregor as an
entrepreneur computer scientist and Léa Seydoux
as his research assistant, Zoe is a beautiful and
heartbreaking look at the complexities of love
and the lengths one is willing to go to in order
to hold onto it.
Set in an undisclosed time in the future,
Cole (McGregor) is at the forefront of revolutionizing
romantic relationships. He has
developed technology that determines the compatibility
and likelihood of long-term success
for couples looking to take that next step in
their relationship. Each person is put through
an intense question and answer session, with
the results being run through Cole’s computer
system and then compared to those of their
significant other’s. In addition to the computer
system, Cole has also been working on creating
an ideal physical partner for singletons
unlucky in love. “Synthetics,” as they’re called,
are programmed to be completely compatible
with, and never betray, their partner -- qualities
with which humans struggle.
While working closely with Cole on this
new development, Zoe (Seydoux) becomes increasingly
overwhelmed with romantic feelings
for him. Although she knows she shouldn’t,
Zoe asks if she can personally undergo the
Q&A -- which ends up revealing intimate
memories and vulnerabilities. When no one
is looking, she runs a compatibility test with
Cole with shocking results that reflect a 0.00
percent chance success rate. Dumbfounded,
Zoe can’t help but be honest with Cole about
her discovery. His explanation as to why their
relationship could never work out, despite their
mutual attraction, leaves Zoe questioning her
entire existence.
Doremus keeps to his signature 50 shades
of blue color palette to create a moody and
fresh vibe, similar to 2017’s Newness. Partnering
up with composer Dan Romer and
music supervisor Chris Douridas, the score
and music add another powerful element by
giving the film its dark, dreamy tone. Songs
from indie artists like Beach House are electrically
hypnotic and the perfect companion to
the visuals on screen.
The performances from McGregor and Seydoux
are equally raw and vulnerable (and the
irony of McGregor playing a man who strives
to create the perfect companion who will never
leave his partner is not lost on me). Supporting
actors Theo James, Rashida Jones, Matthew
Gray Gubler, and even Christina Aguilera
add further star power to the romantic sci-fi.
Drake Doremus definitely knows a thing or
two about how to portray an intangible thing
like love as either the heaviest burden or the
lightest, most effervescent feeling.
“What do you want your partner to see in
you?” asks Cole in the very first line of the film.
“I want them to see me for who I really am,”
answers Zoe. This sentiment, while universal
and fundamentally positive, turns out to have
deeper implications than Zoe could have ever
imagined, and is the crux of the film’s emotional
despair. This philosophical questioning
of love and authenticity is what makes Zoe so
unforgettable among the sea of other festival
films. As of this review, Zoe had been acquired
by Amazon Prime for a summer release.
Zoe is rated R for some sexual material
and drug content. 104 minutes. Now streaming
on Amazon. •
Zoe, Courtesy of Amazon Studios.
Morgan Rojas.
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