Either You’re In Or You’re In The Way book review

Identical twin brothers Logan and Noah Miller’s homeless father died alone in a jail cell. Little did they know, that their vow to complete their feature film debut, Touching Home, as a dedication to their love for him, would cause their lives to unravel as a pretext to the two brothers digging deeper into a the fires of will, creativity and sheer passion, than most human beings could possibly comprehend.

They tell their story in the book Either You’re In Or You’re In The Way: Two Brothers, Twelve Months, and One Filmmaking Hell-Ride to Keep a Promise to Their Father. Anyone sitting around, wondering what happened to the dreams they once had before this terrible recession, must read this book. Anyone with the raw talent to be a filmmaker, who’s wondering why Hollywood hasn’t knocked down their door yet, must read this book. In fact, everyone who has forgotten what it means to succeed by the force of one’s own will, must read this book.

A few weeks ago, I received an email from a friend of mine, who inquired whether I worked 24 hours a day. I received that email at about 2am in the morning, as I was winding down an “early” day of work, and I replied, “I’m finishing up for the night. It’s about 2am, and this is an early night for me. That should give you some idea of my average work day.” She said this because she felt I seem to do so many things now. You know, until I read the story of Logan and Noah Miller, I half bought into what she said.

In January of 2006, the Miller brother’s alcoholic father – who had been living in his truck – passed away in jail. Just before he died, the brothers vowed to him, that they would complete a biographical film about his life called Touching Home, amid jokes about Ed Harris playing him on film, and shooting a complete feature in 13 days, and returning the video cameras to the store on day 14. Either You’re in or You’re in the Way is the amazing story of how they made a real movie, without a dime to their names, nor a single meaningful contact in Hollywood.

The book craftily reports on the desperate struggles of the young men, who – through the arguments, mistakes, acting school for non-actors, dried piss and Panavision cameras – managed to write, produce, direct and act in Touching Home, opposite four-time Academy Award-nominated actor Ed Harris, along with fellow nominees Brad Dourif and Robert Forster.

Either You’re In Or You’re In The Way is a seat-of-your-pants, joyously inspiring, dramatic and sometimes whimsical ride, that’s full of determination, triumph and commitment. The book is an inspirational and an entertaining read that readers will most certainly enjoy.