My Best Friend is a Wookie

November 8, 2010
In a galaxy right under his nose, a pants-peeing boy of seven experienced a rebirth while watching The Empire Strikes Back. From this "first kiss" a lifelong love affair begins, and Pacitti is entertainingly adept at finding a Star Wars parallel for almost any life experience, including his Jabba-like, playground-ruling enemy from second grade. Just as Luke Skywalker struggled to become a Jedi, Pacitti fights the dark side of depression and heartbreak, finding solace in a distant galaxy where the good guys don't always win. Though the recent prequel trilogy ("six years and seven-ish hours of crap" nowhere near justified by 20 minutes of "kind of neat") proves to be his ultimate heartbreak. Pacitti's prose is often perfunctory and, though he earns his nerd badge, bloated plot summaries and snarky commentary tarnish its shine. But when he taps into his personal experience Pacitti writes with honesty, enthusiasm, and occasional hilarity. Many a Star Wars fan will find charm in this familiar story; those who don't know their Wars from their Trek may be carried along by a deeply-examined connection to pop culture.