Movie Critic Sees His Own Work on the Big Screen

Published March 24, 2007 at 12:53 PM EDT

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<em>Washington Post</em> movie critic and novelist Stephen Hunter arrives at the Paramount Pictures premiere of the film <em>Shooter</em>, at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, Calif., March 8, 2007. — *Washington Post* movie critic and novelist Stephen Hunter arrives at the Paramount Pictures premiere of the film *Shooter*, at the Mann Village Theatre in Westwood, Calif., March 8, 2007.

What happens when a movie reviewer becomes the reviewed?

Stephen Hunter, the Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic for The Washington Post, knows better than most.

Years ago, Hunter wrote the book Point of Impact. The popular thriller has been turned into a movie, opening this weekend: Shooter, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Mark Wahlberg.

Hunter has written many other books as well; they include Pale Horse Coming and Time to Hunt. An unofficial fan Web site calls them "some of the greatest and most under-sung novels in American literature."

Hunter speaks with Scott Simon about what it's like to be a movie critic whose own work ends up on the big screen.