When you watch a movie after having read the book? Luckily, I rarely am a person who happens to pick a book to read before they make it into a movie. I can count on one hand the times I have done that. And of all those times, there was only one that I didn't feel truly disappointed after watching the movie. Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants was tolerable in movie format. They basically stuck to the story line and I loved all the actresses. I HATE, HATE, HATE (or as my mom would say STRONGLY DISLIKE) Confessions of A Shopaholic as a movie. It is so ridiculously not what the book was. Granted there are like 5 or 6 books in that series and each book is pretty lengthy so that would be hard to fit into a 1 1/2 to 2 hour movie. But still...horrid. In reverse, I am sometimes thankful that I watched a movie instead of reading the book. Devil Wears Prada is one of my favorite movies and I imagine had I read the book first I wouldn't feel this way.
What has prompted this book versus movie rant? Last night I watched My Sister's Keeper for the first time. About a month back I read this very book. My sister-in-law read it first and told me I had to read the book before watching the movie. I really enjoyed the story line and after reading it she filled me in on some of the discrepancies between the book and the on screen version. But actually watching it, seeing for myself how very different they were; exasperating. First of all, they completely left out a character. The entire love story in the book. They bring up the fact that Anna's locket is gone but never reveal why. Jesse...dyslexic? Nope, not even close to what his problem's were in the book. I was actually starting to get excited when I watched the scenes with Taylor in them because they seemed to be getting it right on but then the scene at the dance was way more sexual then the book. I understand that makes for more enjoyable viewing for some people. I could go on and on but let's just jump right to the end of the movie. So completely different. And what I don't understand is why. The book's ending is way more dramatic and provides that twist that every good movie evidently has. That thing that makes you say, "wow...I didn't see that coming."
Mostly I feel sorry for my husband. I had originally planned to watch this with my sister-in-law so we could pick it apart together but he picked it up remembering that I had wanted to watch it. I am sure that he was unable to enjoy it because I kept saying, "WHAT! NO, that is not how it goes," and then would precede to give the real details from the book. I hate to be that person but you can't just sit and watch something like that without speaking up. I am learning my lesson and avoiding movies after books unless I am by myself or with someone else who has read the book. That means Dear John will have to be a rental on a night Jeremy is working because I am sure it will not satisfy and I will need to dialogue while watching it!
Showing posts with label My Sister's Keeper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label My Sister's Keeper. Show all posts
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
What I'm Reading
My Sister's Keeper
What I like about the way this book is written is that it comes from several different characters point of view. I sometimes wish that life was like that. That I could switch into someone's else head for awhile to see where they are coming from and what life looks like to them. Seems like it would make things so much simpler. This adds a depth to this story that makes it much more compelling than if it was based from one character's point of view. The other thing that stood out to me was that a big piece of the main characters was not revealed until the very end. You go through the book realizing you don't quite know everything but thinking you have a firm grasp on who these people are. It turns out that these missing pieces are key to fully understanding what is going on. This parallels real life to me. So many times you think you know people but until you find out that key piece of information, you may be completely off base.
One of the lines in the book that really spoke to me was this: "I realize then that we never have children, we receive them. And sometimes it's not for quite as long as we would have expected or hoped. But it is still far batter than never having had those children at all." As a mother I like to think that these children belong to me and are completely under my control. But the truth is they were given to me as a gift and are just under my care for the time being. I don't know how long I will have them which is why I need to make each day count. Give them the tools they need to grow into their own people and love them unconditionally. I can only hope that I never have to know what it is like to give them back.
I have to say that I went into reading this thinking I knew what it was about. Not only did I see the movie previews but I have been told about a dozen times how sad it was. But I found myself 10 pages away from finishing the book and thinking, sure it's sad but in a way that is totally predictable from the beginning. Then BAM, Jodi Picoult hits you with a major twist that changes everything. I was originally able to look past the sadness because the outcome seemed inevitable. It was in the surprise that I truly felt hit emotionally for the first time in the book. Overall I think this was a great read. Not only extremely thought provoking but it also touches on a topic that forces you to look at your own life and realize just how good you have it.
What I like about the way this book is written is that it comes from several different characters point of view. I sometimes wish that life was like that. That I could switch into someone's else head for awhile to see where they are coming from and what life looks like to them. Seems like it would make things so much simpler. This adds a depth to this story that makes it much more compelling than if it was based from one character's point of view. The other thing that stood out to me was that a big piece of the main characters was not revealed until the very end. You go through the book realizing you don't quite know everything but thinking you have a firm grasp on who these people are. It turns out that these missing pieces are key to fully understanding what is going on. This parallels real life to me. So many times you think you know people but until you find out that key piece of information, you may be completely off base.
One of the lines in the book that really spoke to me was this: "I realize then that we never have children, we receive them. And sometimes it's not for quite as long as we would have expected or hoped. But it is still far batter than never having had those children at all." As a mother I like to think that these children belong to me and are completely under my control. But the truth is they were given to me as a gift and are just under my care for the time being. I don't know how long I will have them which is why I need to make each day count. Give them the tools they need to grow into their own people and love them unconditionally. I can only hope that I never have to know what it is like to give them back.
I have to say that I went into reading this thinking I knew what it was about. Not only did I see the movie previews but I have been told about a dozen times how sad it was. But I found myself 10 pages away from finishing the book and thinking, sure it's sad but in a way that is totally predictable from the beginning. Then BAM, Jodi Picoult hits you with a major twist that changes everything. I was originally able to look past the sadness because the outcome seemed inevitable. It was in the surprise that I truly felt hit emotionally for the first time in the book. Overall I think this was a great read. Not only extremely thought provoking but it also touches on a topic that forces you to look at your own life and realize just how good you have it.
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