Whether you’re a film buff, or film buff/aspiring writer, Cohen’s Screen Plays covers a broad scope of the finesse and foibles of some blockbuster hits and misses.

Taking an analytical approach to dissect the development of story and characters, Cohen uses examples from well-known films to illustrate the techniques, and how they were used effectively (or not).

Like all arts, there is no “right” or “wrong” way of doing things, but there are several formulas which have proven effective for various purposes in telling stories or developing characters. As far as film critique goes, Screen Plays covers a satisfying collection of them.

Whether you write for film or print, this may prove to be thoughtful insight on things to watch out for, and give you ideas on how to tie sub-plot into dialogue to create more depth in your scenes and in the believability of your characters.

Even if you don’t write, it’s an interesting cross-section of how stories are made to film, freckled with interesting highlights from the productions, and various lesser-known glimpses at the processes of creation.