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mamalemma 's review for:
Based on a True Story
by Norm Macdonald
I was a Norm MacDonald fan from way back, and adored his deadpan delivery and the twinkle in his eyes when he’d say a particularly good line. (I’m also a sucker for dimples. Ahem. Moving on.) I’d be delighted when he popped up from time to time, and loved his Midwestern ne’er-do-well brother character on The Middle, where he was perfectly cast. So I really wanted to love this. Alas, it was not to be. While it says right in the title it’s not true, it’s more than not true: it’s filled with outrageous lies. This is a Norm that shoots morphine, abuses his best friend, and is millions in the hole from gambling debts. The book is not poorly written, just tiresome in its quest to build an awful Norm. It reminded me quite a lot of John Waters’ Carsick, which was also lacking in human truth, building caricatures of outlandish people doing outlandish things for the pure shock value of having done so, with no humanity whatsoever. It’s just not my style. (See also: A Confederacy of Dunces. At least I’m consistent in my dislike.) I can’t recommend this one, but if this style is your thing, you may enjoy it.