Final Rating: 3/5
Ed. note: read our original review of My Salinger Year by Dakota Arsenault from Cinefest Sudbury 2020.
My Salinger Year is a coming of age drama from French Canadian director Philippe Falardeau. It stars Margaret Qualley as Joanna, a grad student who takes a clerical job with Margaret (Sigourney Weaver) the agent for, among others, renowned author and recluse, JD Salinger.
Joanna’s an aspiring writer who leaves her studies at Berkley to move back east to New York in hopes of following her dream. She’s hired as an assistant to Margaret, a typical demanding but ultimately kind hearted boss, and soon goes about her duties including typing up Margaret’s notes recorded on her Dictaphone, and responding to J.D. Salinger’s fan mail.
She moves into a cramped apartment with her friend Jenny (Seana Kerslake), leaving her boyfriend Karl (Hamza Haq) behind. She soon meets Don (Douglas Booth), an aspiring writer who spends much of his time writing his book and espousing his theories on everything from what’s real art to the ills of capitalism. The two move into a small apartment together, under Joanna’s name as Don wants to avoid a credit check, and seemingly most other responsibilities. Inevitably he serves to reinforce the fact she needs to pursue her passion alone.
One of Joanna’s primary duties is to send back generic letters to fans stating that Mr. Salinger doesn’t read fan mail, but that he appreciates their correspondence nonetheless. She reads letter after letter, often touched by how much they’ve been moved by his work, the irony being she’s never actually read any of it. She decides they deserve more than just a perfunctory response, so writes back to one young woman struggling in English class and trying to get an A by writing a letter worthy enough to receive a response from Mr. Salinger. However, this well intentioned idea, naturally, backfires and she shows up at the office to chastise Joanna for this.
It’s something that could be more fully explored, but never truly invests any stakes in it. Her trying to respond is played for a laugh later in the film but generally just illustrates that Joanna has a good heart. There are a number of tropes aspiring writers will no doubt recognize in themselves (we’ve all been there) including writing her poetry and reading other writers work, often afraid to be overly critical or reveal what it may say about our own.
Canadian fans will no doubt recognize Colm Feore, who has a small role as Daniel, but unfortunately isn’t given a lot to do. Like many of the more periphery characters, including Hugh (Brían F. O’Byrne) the agency’s legal expert, they aren’t developed much at all, so we’re not as invested in them. As time goes on Joanna and Don’s relationship fades, especially as he wants to go to his best friend Mark’s (Gavin Drea) wedding alone. It is in this free time that Joanna sets about devouring Salinger’s work to see what so moves his fans, and comes to the conclusion that she needs to take matters into her own hands when it comes to her career path.
Joanna’s duties also include answering the phone and as such gets a chance to chat with ‘Jerry’ every so often throughout. Even though we never meet him, his presence has a great impact on her as he encourages her to write every day. This helps inspire her to take some of her poetry to a contact at The New Yorker in hopes of being published.
As one would expect the character’s arcs come full circle and Margaret finds more and more respect for Joanna as the story moves along. She has flourished under her tutelage, earning more and more responsibility, which includes reading manuscripts. Joanna has a keen eye for talent and though she enjoys the work, ultimately decides to leave and follow her own writing path. Overall it’s a sweet film about pursuing your dreams while you still have the chance, a message we should all take to heart.
My Salinger Year was seen during the 2026 International Film Festival of Ottawa.
