A heartwarming story of how one man’s unwavering passion for literature defied all the odds during our generation's most uncertain time
Matt Tannenbaum was 29 years old when he bought a small bookshop in Lenox, Massachusetts, in 1976. His love of books, however, started much earlier in life, correlating with his love of people. Hello, Bookstore, aptly presented in chapters, offers an insight into Tannenbaum’s sanctuary and the family behind it.
The smell of wooden floors and paperbacks at the famous Gotham Book Mart in Manhattan, where Tannenbaum had his first job, thrust him into the world of words, enthralled by their power and mesmerised by each letter. The clever camera work of this intimate documentary cuts regularly to our protagonist reciting emotive manuscripts and discussing them in precise detail. As a viewer reading between the lines (excuse the pun), it seems that director AB Zax’s main objective is to spread the message that the utopia found in literature is unparalleled.
Dubbed "the world’s oldest and newest bookseller" by one of his daughters, Tannenbaum certainly seems to have the gift of the gab, and the most charming thing about him is that he doesn’t even realise it. A natural with his customers at matter-of-factly named The Bookstore, the shop owner spends countless minutes, sometimes even hours, in deep, expressive conversation about the volumes sitting on the shelves. He loses himself in every exchange, as if the organised clutter of the quaint store represents the collection of authors, novels and poems engrained into his brain. His customers, along with those watching the film, are lucky to get a glimpse of it.
The theme, aided by Jeffrey Lubin’s well thought out, emotional score, quickly flicks to the hardships the bookstore faces upon the emergence of Covid 19. Like many independent businesses, Tannenbaum's shop saw a huge cut in sales, with only outdoor shopping permitted. Already in debt, his temperament noticeably shifts from relaxed to uneasy with his visitors.
In a last-ditch attempt to save The Bookstore, a downcast Tannenbaum decides to set up an online fundraising page, with little to no expectation of donations. To his (and arguably to the viewers') utter shock, donations reach and double the $60,000 target in two days. The page is still live and there are now $125,000 in contributions. However, it’s clear to see that this wasn’t the crucial part of the fly-on-the-wall film, as it was sheer coincidence that Zax was filming during this time. What is crucial, is our literature-lover's unique nature and charming disposition.
Ultimately, Hello, Bookstore succeeds in its mission to capture the calm found instore. It’s slow, easy-going and relaxing, allowing a strong rapport to be built with Tannenbaum, expressing the kindness, patience and generosity that he so openly shares with the world. Untouched by time, The Bookstore captures the heart of the community and now, thanks to this Zax's film, it's on its way to capturing hearts of the world.
By Dani Silver
Hello, Bookstore is available in select cinemas and online from Friday 30 June. bulldog-film.com