Chapter 32: Astonishment and the Hook

Chapter 32: Astonishment and the Hook

The movie continued.

The playful pranks between the two boys, Mike and Beck, drew waves of laughter from the audience—children and adults alike.

Then, the plot reached its first climax.

Mike and Beck, in a high-stakes game of poker, wagered their allowances, toys, and comic books. This scene was carefully edited from separate shots of Martin playing both roles, capturing Mike's playful spirit and Beck's pride so vividly that, aside from the same face, it was hard to tell they were the same person.

Kevin Thomas, a critic, was stunned. After a long pause, he erased the note he had previously written, "Martin's performance is decent, within the child actor standard," and replaced it with a new line: In this film, Martin displays an Oscar-worthy level of acting.

The card game showdown between Mike and Beck was a masterclass in tension, conveyed without dialogue, only through facial expressions and intense glances, as the camera switched back and forth in close-ups of the two boys.

The adults managed to keep their composure, but the kids in the theater were practically holding their breath.

"The loser has to jump in the lake," Mike said.

"Fine by me," Beck replied coolly.

In the end, the craftier Mike won the game.

True to his word, Beck walked to the lake, removed his shirt, and leapt in, swimming with effortless grace.

"Wow!"

This time, it was the adults who gasped.

Beck's swimming was breathtakingly elegant. It was unlike the deliberate poses of synchronized swimming—it had a harmony with nature that felt innate, as if he belonged in the water.

Even Kevin Thomas found himself captivated by the serene beauty, momentarily forgetting to take notes.

The film progressed, building toward a second peak.

A fencing match.

When Beck soared into the air, launching off a stack of hay bales, the audience gasped again—both kids and adults.

"Like an eagle!" was Kevin Thomas's first thought.

"This… this isn't CGI!" was his second.

When Beck disarmed Mike with a graceful flick of his wrist, flourishing his sword with an elegant twirl, Kevin's third thought was: Martin must have learned fencing!

His fourth was: This scene will surely become a cinematic classic.

As the story unfolded, the two boys finally discovered they were actually brothers, and so a plan was hatched—

They decided to switch places.

Mike headed to London, and Beck went to the farm.

In their new surroundings, both boys caused plenty of humorous chaos as they tried to adjust, charming the audience while keeping everyone on edge, wondering if they would be discovered. Meanwhile, they pulled every trick in the book to reunite their parents.

To be honest, the story struck a deep chord with American audiences.

Both kids and adults were completely engrossed, eyes fixed on the screen, captivated by the unfolding drama.

Only the critics struggled to maintain an air of "professional" detachment.

Kevin Thomas scribbled in his notebook: Martin Myers is simply the best!

The film gradually approached its conclusion.

When the two families finally reconciled, the entire theater burst into applause—enthusiastic and prolonged.

The screen faded to black, and the lights came back on.

The film's creators came on stage to take their bows.

When Martin stepped forward, he received the loudest applause, along with countless young voices calling his name:

"Mike! Mike!" "Beck! Beck!"

The host handed Martin the microphone, inviting him to say a few words.

Martin confidently took the microphone and tapped it a few times.

"Thump, thump, thump!"

The audience quieted down a little.

"Looks like Mike and Beck each have their own fan clubs now, but poor Martin has none. Should I start crying?"

Laughter rippled through the crowd, followed by chants of "Martin! Martin!"

"Thank you. Looks like I won't need to cry after all."

More laughter.

"Seems I don't need to introduce myself either."

The crowd laughed again.

"Both Mike and Beck hold a special place in my heart. I really love them, and I hope you all do too."

Martin handed the microphone back to the host.

Then Nancy Meyers, Dennis Quaid, Natasha Richardson, and the rest of the creative team each took a turn to speak.

Then came the Q&A session.

The first question went to Martin.

"Martin, we all know you're a talented writer and a top student. What made you choose to go into film?"

Of course, it was for the thrill of it! Martin thought to himself. But out loud, he replied, "I suppose it's for the love of it. Life is vast, encompassing economics, politics, society, religion, science, philosophy—so many paths to explore."

"But we can't experience all of them. It's a pity, really."

"But movies can reflect all of these."

"They're like a mirror, showing us the world, yet not merely a mirror, but a creation with a form and essence all its own."

"With a blend of sound, rhythm, visuals, and storytelling, movies create their own little universe."

"This universe may be incomplete; it may just be a snapshot. But for the time we're immersed in it, we experience something condensed and marvelous."

"Each character in a film is like living another life."

"And those experiences fuel my inspiration, which I can channel back into writing, music, and other forms of creation…"

Martin's answer left a strong impression on many, and he dropped a subtle hook, hoping someone would bite.

If no one did, Columbia Records had already planted a "decoy"—two journalists from The New York Times.

But sure enough, a reporter from The Los Angeles Times took the bait, asking, "Martin, you just mentioned music. Does that mean you're also involved in music creation alongside writing and acting?"

Martin smiled. "Yes, actually. I recently released a mini album called Martin 1. It's instrumental, so feel free to check it out. I promise it won't disappoint."

In fact, Martin 1 had been released a bit hastily.

Usually, singles are released first to gauge market reactions, then the full album follows.

But Columbia Records, capitalizing on Martin's success with Kung Fu Panda and the film's release, felt that the current buzz was strong enough to skip the single release.

Columbia's marketing team believed that as long as the film performed decently, the cross-promotion with the book and movie would drive strong sales.

Releasing the album now would likely draw in plenty of fans—readers and moviegoers alike.

And they were confident in the album's quality. Once people listened to it, good word of mouth would spread, further boosting its sales.

[•———•——•———•]

𝙥𝗮𝙩𝙧𝙚𝙤𝙣(.)𝙘𝙤𝙢/𝙂𝙤𝙙𝙊𝙛𝙍𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧

✨ • 𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: 𝙂𝙚𝙩 𝟲𝟬+ 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙚𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙖𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙚𝙡𝙨𝙚.