Do Tell

Lynch debuts with an intelligent story of Hollywood’s Golden Age involving domineering studios, powerful stars, and a second-tier actor turned gossip columnist. With Edie O’Dare’s contract at FWM Studios about to expire, she determines to make the most of her bit-part roles and invitations to lavish parties. At one such gathering, she meets 16-year-old rising starlet Sophie Melrose, who tells Edie she was raped by top-billed actor Freddy Clarke. After Edie helps Sophie publish her account in a tabloid newspaper in exchange for a fee, Freddy faces criminal charges, resulting in a highly publicized trial. Edie then starts writing a column for the Los Angeles Times, where she exploits her old friendships with stars like Charles Landrieu by spilling about their love lives. As tensions flare in Tinseltown, fueled in part by Edie’s columns, her relationships with Charles and others grow strained, and she begins to realize the price she paid for her success. Though the pacing tends to drag, the dialogue and Edie’s narration are steeped in the rapid-fire rhythm of the era’s films, making for a convincing portrayal of the world they emerged from. Lovers of the silver screen will be drawn to this. Agent: Andrianna deLone, CAA. (July)