Screen Rant is thrilled to share an exclusive clip from The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry, which releases in theaters on October 7. The film was directed and produced by Hans Canosa and stars Kunal Nayyar, Lucy Hale, Christina Hendricks, Scott Foley, and David Arquette. Based on Gabrielle Zevin's New York Times best-selling novel of the same name, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry follows Nayyar's A.J. Fikry through the ups and downs of his life.
A.J., a bookstore owner and widower played by Kunal Nayyar, strikes up a relationship with Hale's Amelia after he loses his wife. When A.J.'s prized collection of Edgar Allan Poe poems are stolen, it accelerates his downward spiral of grief but also draws him closer to Amelia, who is herself an aspiring writer. A.J. life turns upside down again when he takes in Maya, an orphaned girl, and makes her a member of his family. Elsewhere, Arquette's Officer Lambiase assists with investigating the theft of A.J.'s poems, while developing his own relationship with Hendricks' Ismay.
SCREENRANT VIDEO OF THE DAY
In this exclusive clip, which you can watch above, Amelia meets A.J. at his bookstore on Alice Island and attempts to sell him on her book. Hoping to gain a sense of his taste, she asks him what he likes in a story, to which he responds by instead listing what he doesn't like. From post-apocalyptic settings to children's books, A.J. shows that his aversions span far and wide when it comes to books.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry Is Ready To Warm Your Heart
Kunal Nayyar and Lucy Hale's chemistry is undeniable, even as A.J. exhibits a rather cold demeanor in the scene. Amelia's warmth and optimism provide an intriguing contrast to A.J.'s cynicism at the beginning of their relationship. If The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry's trailer serves as any indication, the connection between the titular character and Amelia will grow stronger as the narrative progresses. While the interaction between the two illustrates A.J.'s pit of misery, his blunt manner of listing his grievances against literature comes across as humorous and befitting of a romantic comedy. His manner in this early scene will clearly evolve, especially with the addition of a child to care for and a relationship to nurture.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry promises to deliver a heartwarming story reminiscent of its source material. Canosa's other films include 2019's Come As You Are, which executive produced, and 2005's Conversations with Other Women, which he directed.
The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry hits theaters on October 7.