‘WE’RE ALL living in SCIENCE FICTION NOW’

SCREENWRITER-TURNED-AUTHOR ELAN MASTAI EXPLAINS THE IMPROBABILITY OF OUR LIVES

imagined future that drives today’s scientists to gun for utopian growth, creating technology that banks on a world we might hope for but won’t ever live to see – the fundamental, if lofty, goals that give someone like Steve Jobs no fewer than three biopics postmortem. The book takes place for a few weeks each in Tom’s 2016, in our (like, you-and-me) 2016, and over the course of several crucial hours on July 11, 1965 when the world could end, barely live, or somewhat anticlimactically not change much at all.

You might wonder what kind of masochist would attempt to take this idea to pen, especially if that masochist could otherwise lean on well-honed screenwriting skills and cinema magic to do it instead. I met that masochist on a cold, bright afternoon in Toronto last week for a cup of coffee and his honest explanation.

“It suddenly occurred to me,” the immediately-likeable-if-a-littlefrenetic Mastai says, shifting not at all gracefully from cross-legged to knees-bent to wing-chair Cirque gems like these glimmer in good number, Mastai taking on the human condition with flare.

“I used to think the cheesiest thing about Hollywood movies is that they suggest people can change when people never change. But actually, that’s the perspective of somebody who’s never been through any conflicts or traumas or real challenges,” he says, focused and unmoving now, grounded by principle and life lessons learned well.

“As I’ve gotten older, and had more experiences, I’ve realized that actually that’s the only honest thing about Hollywood movies: they say, every single one of them, that people will only change if they’re forced to.” Shifting yet again, he continues. “I think crisis is what defines us. Whether you’re a genius scientist or confused slacker or President of the United States, it’s always about your personal demons and angels. That’s what makes characters interesting.”

Mastai’s certainly are. All Our Wrong Todays is tightly told through a cast of six (squared, I dining room table was there because of the unexpected pivots of history. This thing that feels as natural and permanent as your family was also the result of massive sweeps of history that had nothing to do with you – and everything to do with you.”

Either press-worn compulsion or honest philosophical subscription leads Mastai to basically reiterate the book’s signature line next: “There’s no such thing as the life you’re supposed to have.”

Validation comes right on cue, a man with hair covering more or less every centimeter I can see jolting Elan’s thought with a shoulder clap. “Reg!” Mastai shouts. Genie-nominated Canadian film editor Reginald Harkema (Child Star, Goon) lucked out spotting his old friend in our little corner, and the two get in their quick wife-and-kids catch up while Mastai drains his mug.

Without Reg’s happenstance hello I might not have mustered the nerve to steal a few playful photos as things wrapped up, but moreover Mastai might not have hand-delivered me our interview’s best closer while he posed: “We’re all living in science fiction right now,” he says, blinking earnestly behind thick-rimmed glasses. “Our world would’ve been unimaginable to people 50 years ago or a hundred years ago.”

A beat before one final offhand halts me mid-click: “But of course, you can always say that.”

Fair enough. I buy that. But it takes something beyond saying to help someone else see it for herself. And so, Ruby’s dignity be damned, there’s All Our Wrong Todays to do the trick nicely.