June 1, 2016
Summer is almost officially here! Even though that's true, I'm back to the stay indoors and read mode than a mode to transition my time to the great outdoors. While Dad was in town, I didn't have the chance to continue and finish my latest book, P.S. I Love You. After finishing it yesterday, I don't like the movie, at all, again.
The film with Hilary Swank came out years ago, and I really didn't like it. I remember walking out of the BG Theater just frustrated and bored with the film. I watched it again a few years later, at a new point in life, and actually appreciated and enjoyed it; for whatever reason, it was no longer a bore. I own it on DVD and watch it every now and then. Finally, I got my hands on the book but never read it until now.
After the first few chapters, I could tell the movie was not following the book. Without spoiling too much, the location, Holly's parents' status, her siblings, her job, the girls' vacation... it's just all a little to a lot off. I feel terrible how different the two are. It seemed as though the script used the general ideas and names then threw out the rest. Is that fair?
Something I noticed more in the book than the movie is that Holly really relies on the letters and the support of her friends and family. Holly needed a lot of time to recover and was very sensitive during this dramatic, intense life-changing part of her life. Is she too sensitive? Is it realistic she was able to afford to live and not have a job all those months? Is it right she lived in the past of Gerry and depended on his monthly letters in order to live? I don't know how to answer those questions, but that's what popped up as I read the book.
At times, I felt sorry for her, but other times I just wanted her to try harder to move on. Yes, losing a husband is a very difficult time. I'll probably feel different once I actually experience an event similar and as devastating as the death of a husband. At the same time, there are friends and her brother who are going through big changes in life too, and I feel like she didn't try hard enough to put her loss aside to make them feel special. Her two best friends are going through happy change while her brother is obviously suffering (we don't find out until later what that actually is), and at so many moments she just can't let go of her own emotions and put on a "happy face."
Overall, the book is by far better than the movie when comparing the book versus script adaptation. The addition of Holly's family and the role of her siblings is something I wish the movie would have included. Mainly for me, though, I was just so disappointed in how different to two are. This is definitely a case where the movie is not a good substitute for the book. No way. They are not similar enough. The movie on its own is entertaining and a tear-jerker, but by no means does it do the book justice. I need to watch it again now that I have read the book and see if I still find the movie entertaining on its own.
The storyline of Richard was interesting and a highlighed relationship I wish was on the big screen. The oldest in the family, he had his own personal issues and found a positive release to handle it while keeping it all to himself (I don't quite agree with hiding it, though). It just shows that we all grieve and handle the difficult times in our own way. Some ways are more appropriate and positive than others, but we each have to try our best and recover at our own pace. I don't know why he is one of the characters clear in my mind since finishing, but he is! I highly recommend the book any day. Even though there are instances I want Holly to recover faster, it's a good read.
Ditch the movie, for now, and read the book.
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