Movie Reviews for Writers: Shortcut to Happiness

Remember “The Devil and Daniel Webster”? Do you remember the part where Daniel Webster takes over a publishing house and helps a writer who sold his soul to the devil, played by a particularly minx-ish Jennifer Love Hewitt? No? Me neither. 

Still, this “inspired by” story has a lot to say about both the desires of writers and learning to be satisfied with one’s lot in life. And about the longing to be remembered. 

Jabez Stone (Alex Baldwin), jealous of the success of a fellow writer and in the middle of one of the worst days of his (or anyone’s) life, offers his eternal soul for happiness and success. Of course, the sultry and ever vigilant Satan (Hewitt) shows up at his door with the answer to all his problems and masterfully twists his wishes in classic Faustian style. 

When she first asks Jabez what he wants from life, he answers from the heart:

Jabez: I want to write great books that last.

Devil: I can’t help you with that. That’s a matter of talent.

Can you identify with that? I certainly can. I’ve long said that my goal as a writer is to write stories that are studied by future generations. I too want to write stories that last, stories that matter, stories that outlive me to keep me alive (in a sense). And I have a feeling I’m not alone in that.

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