It's Only a Movie

By: Bruce Joel Rubin

Narrated by: Bruce Joel Rubin

A powerful, heartfelt memoir by one of the most respected screenwriters of the modern era.

Bruce Joel Rubin is a certified member of the Movie Brat generation and the Academy Award-winning screenwriter of the films Ghost and Jacob's Ladder. He is also a product of the great American counterculture experiment of the late 1960s, a seasoned meditation teacher, and an author who believes that stories have the potential to lead us everywhere and nowhere. His own tale has all the rises and falls of an epic, all the mysteries, complexities and contradictions of a fully-lived life. Through his unguarded reflections on the personal, the professional and the profound, Bruce offers a unique and intimate portrait of creative forces that weave us in and out of the world we know.

©2024 Sticking Place Books (P)2024 Sticking Place Books

A Lifetime of Wonder and Connection

Bruce Rubin shares three lifelong journeys in this book: his personal story; his keen spiritual quest; and his work as an acclaimed screenwriter. The interweaving of all three has made for an amazing ride for Bruce and now for the reader, thanks to the enormously generous and sincere voice he brings to the telling of it all. (That voice is also compelling in the ways it combines authenticity and authority with humble questioning.) His drive for success and struggle with failure is one moving theme of the memoir; another is his heart-centered connectedness with family, friends, and colleagues all through life. Bruce’s one to two years travelling around the world in his search for a spiritual teacher make for a wild set of adventures. Popular culture buffs may be drawn more to Bruce’s Hollywood tales, including an inside look at the writing and casting of films like “Jacob’s Ladder” and “Ghost” (for which his script won an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay). It’s a treat to be a fly on the wall as he tells of directors Marty Scorsese and Steven Spielberg as well as the actors Nicole Kidman, Tom Cruise and Patrick Swayze, among many others. It’s equally a treat to hear of his meetings with the young Dalai Lama in the 1960’s and more recently Eckhart Tolle. Bruce’s interweaving of recollections in all three areas of his life are rich with insight and beauty. They’re not only juicy tidbits; they’re also nourishing food for the soul.

"It's Only a Movie" is more than a book

I've had the good fortune of knowing this gentleman for more than twenty years now. Thanks to these pages, I know him even better.

Bruce Joel Rubin is a remarkable man who has led a remarkable life. His presence has enriched me in ways I could never quite put into words. Thankfully, he's done that writing for me, and this book is your chance to bask in his glow, as I do.

Great writing and humor

Loved this book! I cried and laughed through the entire book and really enjoyed the authenticity of the author who also read the book. Hated when it ended....

Courage to love and live and share it all with us

I love Bruce’s story, and feel fortunate to have heard it all, in his words, in his voice. He rode right over so many roadblocks and social norms with only his truth guiding. I feel stripped of a lot of egoic clothes now.

Perfect blend of spiritual journey and Hollywood tell all

I found this book because I was listening to a screenwriting podcast about Ghost and wanted to learn more about Bruce Joel Rubin. Very grateful he wrote this book, as it provided a crash course not just on Hollywood, but on the striving for spiritual enlightenment and on ultimate surrender. Eighty years of wisdom delivered in a wholly entertaining memoir.