Kevin Lazzari | Special to the Fitzhugh
Once in a while, a title will capture my interest, and I make it a point of watching the movie because of a few simple words. I had never heard of the movie “Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshop.” The title intrigued me, because who is this Miss Willoughby and why is the bookshop haunted? I had a certain vision of her character, and the writers delivered exactly what I had formulated.
Miss Willoughby is played by Nathalie Cox who is someone I am not familiar with. She is an English actress who has done work in the video game industry and TV movies that I have never heard of. I do think she makes the perfect Miss Willoughby because of her height and unique looks. Cox is five feet 10.5 inches, so she dominates each scene when she stands beside most of the cast. The surprise is the part played by Kelsey Grammer who is Miss Willoughby’s legal guardian and I guess her butler. The fact that Kelsey Grammer is six feet one inch made sense to me, because he was perfectly matched to play opposite Nathalie Cox. The two stars had a fluid chemistry, and they are a pair whom I hope to see in the future. A sequel is in the works and I am certain this dynamic duo will not disappoint me.
To make a film in a pandemic is no small feat, and I respect anyone who does it. This particular movie had all the components, but there was something that was missing. Seventeen people on IMDb thought this movie deserved a three-of-10 rating, which I think is very harsh. I personally think the cast was lacking with the exception of Cox and Grammer. They played their parts perfectly, but the movie was still flat because of the supporting cast. I am, however, enthusiastic for the sequel, because the story is solid and the two stars are brilliant.
Kevin Lazzari, owner of Video Stop, is reviewing movies for the Fitzhugh. “Miss Willoughby and the Haunted Bookshop” (2022) is available on DVD and for digital streaming and download.
