Me Before You: Book vs Film

Me Before You was such a successful novel that when it was announced that an adaptation was in the works, fans of the book were caught between hesitation and excitement. Even when the book's author, Jojo Moyes, was announced as the screenwriter, there were doubts. Because, when a book is that loved, you don't want it messed with. 

Fortunately, Moyes has proven with this screenplay that she is not just a brilliant novelist but also a great screenwriter, with a spot-on understanding of what works on screen and how to compact her story successfully into a feature film.

If it wasn't integral to the story then it wasn't included in the film. Did Will need to have a sister in order for us to appreciate the issues faced by his family? No. We had his parents for that. Do we need the tension at Lou's house, the sibling rivalry and animosity, or the claustrophobic nature of her home in order to appreciate the family? No. They can be packed into the small house and still be loving and supportive.

Though there are some minor character traits and side plots which are forgotten, the major one that may surprise fans of the book is the total absence of a particular maze and all the events which took place. Now it might seem like a whopping great omission but having revisited the story I can see why it was left out. There is no question that this was of huge importance in the book. It explains Lou and it allows Will to be the one who makes her face up this key moment in her life and start to move forward from it. Yet in the film there simply isn't time. Other elements would needed to have been cut in order to properly go into what happened in that maze or else it would have been thrown in almost as an afterthought. Either option just didn't seem to work. Moyes herself even tweeted a fan, explaining that they tried to fit it in but just couldn't figure out a way to do it properly. The people are still going in the same direction. We're just spared some of the specifics.

The casting is so impressive. Very unlike her Khaleesi role, Emilia Clarke IS Lou. She's cute and adorable and chatty and a little bit bonkers – in the best kind of way. Sam Claflin similarly takes on Will, an extremely complex character, with apparent ease. The supporting cast, from Janet McTeer to Charles Dance, are all equally awesome to watch. And this brilliant ensemble are guided through the story by director Thea Sharrock, who displays the same genius command of storytelling as Moyes. The whole team have really come together here to tell this much beloved story.

It's a delight to see that, after some authors who probably should have been consulted on their adaptations and weren't (and some who shouldn't have but were!), authors are finally being acknowledged for their talents, not ignored. We are in a new era now when authors of great books are afforded not just the courtesy of being consulted on the adaptations of their own stories but the opportunity to write the script themselves. Gillian Flynn did it with Gone Girl, Emma Donoghue did it with Room, and now Jojo Moyes has done a phenomenal job with Me Before You.

So get your bumble bee tights on and go and see this absolute treasure. Then go home and re-read the book!

Book – 5
Film – 4

Book vs Film Club: time to get gobblefunking about The BFG

Many of us were raised on the delights of a Roald Dahl novel (or five). Fans of The BFG, in particular, no doubt still remember the snozzcumbers, the tea with the Queen, that giant hand reaching in and grabbing Sophie, the many dreams in jars...

But The BFG is no longer consigned to our childhood memories. Now, my fellow human beans, there is a new adaptation for us to enjoy! And from Steven Spielberg, no less.

The Book vs Film Club was created for just such splitzwiggled events! The idea (in case you’re new to this!) is to read the book then see the film and – you guessed it – discuss both book and film and see which came out on top.

The BFG is due in cinemas in July so if you want to join in with all the gobblefunking then get over to Twitter (@bookvsfilmclub or #BookVsFilmClub) or Facebook and make yourself known.

And get reading!

Book vs Film Club 2016 stories: Room to The BFG - the trailers!

Wondering what books to read in 2016? Or what films you should start getting excited about?

From heart-breakers to brain-eaters, 2016 is an exciting year for adaptations. Some old classics are getting the adaptation treatment along with some brave new novels and a few comic book favourites.

Here are the trailers we have so far for all of the Book Vs Film Club stories we'll be looking forward to in 2016.

To keep up to date with the club, follow @bookvsfilmclub.

January
Room


February
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies


April
The Jungle Book


Captain America: Civil War


June
Me Before You


July
The BFG


September
The Girl With All The Gifts


October
A Monster Calls

New UK Trailer Arrives for Room Adaptation

The Book Vs Film Club will be kicking off 2016 with a look at Room, the adaptation of Emma Donoghue's book of the same name (she also wrote the screenplay!).

We're excited, then, to see this brilliant new UK trailer for the adaptation, which stars Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay.

For the book vs film review, check out Novelicious. Otherwise, the trailer is below.

To join the discussion, just use #BookVsFilmClub or check out @bookvsfilmclub on Twitter.

ROOM will arrive in UK cinemas on 15 January 2016.

The adaptation of Emma Donoghue's Room is phenomenal!

Room is one of those books that has such passionate fans that an adaptation is something that fills us with a heightened level of both excitement and terror. In this instance, the book's author wrote the screenplay which is also a bold move and one that could go dramatically either way.

 
The film arrived earlier than its January 2016 (earlier in the US you lucky things!) release date, thanks to the London Film Festival and my book vs film review can be found over at Novelicious.
 
Suffice it to say, I doubt any fans of the book will be disappointed.
 
Here's the link.

Final Mockingjay trailer and clip prepares fans for the end of Hunger Games

We’ve had four years of trailers, posters, clips, images, films, premieres, interviews… We've seen Katniss's journey progress, watched as she was sucked in to more of the Capitol's games and somehow found the will to carry on.

And now, the Hunger Games films are coming to an end with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2. And we have the final trailer which, for fans of both the books and films, is certainly an exciting and emotional 1 minute and 47 seconds. There's also a clip of the Star Squad to whet your appetite if you needed any more...

Based on the trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2 finally arrives in UK cinemas on 19th November.

The Martian: Book vs Film

Based on the novel by Andy Weir, The Martian is a film about one man’s fight for survival after he is mistakenly presumed dead by his fellow astronauts and left behind on Mars. He has a large amount of food and other supplies but not nearly enough to last him the years it will take before another space ship is scheduled to arrive back on the planet. Knowing this, Mark Watney must get to work and ‘science the shit’ out of a planet where nothing grows and his only ‘company’ is the abundance of disco music left by his commander, Melissa Lewis.

Andy Weir's phenomenal book is a great mixture of peril and laughter, as Watney is a man who uses humour to cope with stress. He is self-deprecating and witty and stops the book from ever being too miserable. Yet there is also A LOT of science in the book that many reader's have found slows the reading process down dramatically.

The film adaptation of The Martian is riddled with drama and peril, just like the novel. Will he manage to grow enough food? Will he manage to make water? Will another storm arrive to finish him off after he somehow survived the last one? Will he ever make contact with the people back home at NASA who believe him to be dead? These dramas make for a tense viewing experience that could have proven too much for some viewers – were it not for the fantastic sense of humour our hero Watney brings in the face of adversity. None of that humour is lost.

Watney leads the entire story and in that is its greatest treasure. He is bold, taking insane risks because there is no other way. When something fails, he gets back up and tries again. He does what he has to in order to survive, and that includes finding things to laugh at. Matt Damon does a phenomenal job of capturing the many sides to this brilliantly complex character, meaning that audiences will quickly come to love him and support him – and hope against hope that he finds a way home. Screenwriter Drew Goddard has understood the importance of Watney, allowing time in the screenplay for the viewer to really understand who he is and what drives him forward. This could so easily have been lost in the adaptation process because, of course, the book has plenty of time to explore it but the film does not.

The ensemble cast assembled for the film – including Jessica Chastain, Jeff Bridges and Chiwetel Ejiofor – are also a thing of wonder. There are all sorts of actors involved, of different age, gender, nationality and race. But the brilliance is that this is not done to be a gimic of any kind. There is no political correctness here, just a representation of the wider world in which we live – something many would argue is seriously lacking in cinema today. There are numerous relationships explored throughout the film – that of family, friends, work colleagues, etc. – but these are secondary to the goal at hand: get Mark Watney home.

Throw all of this against a Ridley Scott backdrop and you have something spectacular. There is an established human heart to this story but the Mars landscapes, the shots of his fellow astronauts travelling home without him, and the impact their stories have on the people back on Earth, throw this story out to a wider, more cinematic, film experience. Watney’s world becomes that much bigger as the film progresses, transforming this solitary story of survival into a wider tale of human connection and helping someone in need when all seems lost.

The Martian is a flawless adaptation that captures all the humour and drama of the novel. It trims down the science part of the novel and makes everything just a little bit 'nicer' but apart from that it works superbly well. The cast are fantastically honest in their performances, and Ridley Scott and Drew Goddard make for an exciting filmmaking team who clearly understand how to combine great character development with stunning scope. The film is best savoured on a large screen and, with the added 3D, it becomes truly immersive. This is a cinematic delight you’ll want to experience over and over.

Book: 5/5
Film: 5/5

#Bookvsfilmclub update: Take note before you go to sleep...

The current #bookvsfilmclub story is Before I Go to Sleep, based on the thrilling debut novel from SJ Watson and starring Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman and Mark Strong.

 

The film arrives in cinemas on 5th September. For more information on how to get involved, check out Novelicious or follow @bookvsfilmclub on Twitter.

The Fault in Our Stars #bookvsfilmclub report

The Fault in Our Stars was certainly a story that stayed with the #bookvsfilmclub. Days after watching, ‏@louisareid tweeted: ‘Still getting over #TFIOS film’.

 

That said, it didn’t have quite the same impact on many of us that the book did, possibly just because we read the John Green book first. As @GroylefinGirl tweeted: ‘loved the book, had already grieved so didn't need to do it again in the film’.

It seemed too that, though the book won the vote of which out of the two people preferred, overall the club was very impressed with the adaptation which ‏@GroylefinGirl said was ‘faithful to [the] book’. It kept the tone, the soul of Green's novel – and in that we were all in agreement. ‏@hmcami did say, though, that ‘the film missed the flow and background that you get in the book’ which was probably inevitable as it had to be trimmed to fit the length of a feature film.

There was certainly a lot of love for Laura Dern who plays Hazel’s mum in the film. ‏@louisareid noted that ‘In the book, I don't remember Hazel's mum being a character I rooted for, but in [the] film - I really felt for her.’ She went on to say that the ‘Saddest bits for me were with Hazel's parents, especially mum, amazingly played by L Dern.’ ‏@Abby_Chandler added: ‘What a legend’ and @GroylefinGirl tweeted ‘LOVE Laura Dern’.

You can read my full book vs film review at The Hollywood News.

 

What did you think of the adaptation? Join the debate at #bookvsfilmclub

Author John Green on The Fault in our Stars film adaptation

'It's amazing to see a story that for a long time existed only in my imagination,' says author John Green in this lovely new featurette for The Fault In Our Stars.

He's certainly excited by the film - are you?

To join in the discussion, head to #bookvsfilmclub on Twitter and don't forget to check out the new featurette below which also shows a glimpse of the 'maybe okay will be our always' scene.

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS arrives in UK cinemas on 19th JUNE and stars Shailene Woodley as Hazel and Ansel Elgort as Augustus alongside Willem Dafoe, Sam Trammel and Laura Dern.

New clip from The Fault in Our Stars gets messy

For fans who've read the book of The Fault in Our Stars by John Green, the scene where Isaac seeks revenge is one of the greatest - simply because it's a moment of justice in a very unjust story.

The clip of that scene has now been released, showing that even with poor lungs, blindness and a leg missing, teenagers can sometimes still be teenagers - and get their own back.

To join in the debate about The  Fault in Our Stars, book and film, use the hashtag #bookvsfilmclub on Twitter.

Enjoy!

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS will star Shailene Woodley as Hazel and Ansel Elgort as Augustus alongside Willem Dafoe, Sam Trammel and Laura Dern, and will arrive in UK cinemas JUNE 19.

New clip and images for The Fault in Our Stars

A first clip from the next #bookvsfilmclub story The Fault in Our Stars has been released entitled 'It's a Metaphor', along with some new images.

Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them -- and us – on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, based upon the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being alive and in love.

The film will star Shailene Woodley as Hazel and Ansel Elgort as Augustus alongside Willem Dafoe, Sam Trammel and Laura Dern.  

To join the discussion of both book and film, use the hashtag #bookvsfilmclub.

Next #bookvsfilmclub will find The Fault in Our Stars

The next #bookvsfilmclub has been chosen and it will be The Fault in Our Stars.

Based on the book by John Green, the film is set to arrive in June. So if you've read the book or are excited by the film then get tweeting using the hashtag or tweet me at @filmvsbook for more info.

Hazel and Gus are two extraordinary teenagers who share an acerbic wit, a disdain for the conventional, and a love that sweeps them -- and us – on an unforgettable journey. Their relationship is all the more miraculous, given that they met and fell in love at a cancer support group. THE FAULT IN OUR STARS, based upon the number-one bestselling novel by John Green, explores the funny, thrilling and tragic business of being alive and in love.

According to this new featurette, it seems Green was delighted with the chemistry between the two stars, Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.

Alongside Woodley and Elgort, The Fault in Our Stars also stars Willem Dafoe, Sam Trammel and Laura Dern.

The Book Thief #bookvsfilmclub reactions

The third #bookvsfilmclub met this week to see The Book Thief, the adaptation based on the Markus Zusak novel set in Germany during World War II and narrated by death. The film stars Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and Sophie Nélisse.

So what did the club think of the adaptation?

@GroylefinGirl had the following to say:

Death. The sonorous voice of #RogerAllam was perfect, but Death is personal, so see #thebookthief for yourself #bookvsfilmclub

The acting was superb; the love, kindness and bravery contrasting with the increasing brutality of the Nazis. #bookvsfilmclub
g
Happy to say I really enjoyed #thebookthief. A few of the subplots were missing, but the heart of the story remained intact #bookvsfilmclub

@MandaJJennings was in two minds about the adaptation with many positive and some less positive thoughts, tweeting:

yes, the acting was superb. And I'd like to give a special shoutout for the superb Emily Watson, who shone as Rosa.

The Book Thief is the book I'd wish I'd written, and I missed the poetry and twists of magic.

As a film it is extremely good but the book, for me, could not be matched, however this is not a reason not to see the film. It is a beautiful film and you will love it. It will make your heart sing with it's love, warmth and appreciation of books and the power of words. And that, alone, is worth seeing it for.

@Abby_Chandler wasn't as moved, tweeting:

     

The Book Thief - lacked the power of the book and didn't make me cry. But Geoffrey Rush IS Papa. #BookvsFilmClub

@emzfinn had this to say:

The Book Thief was a great film but it definitely lacked the magic that was in the book. The actors played their parts fantastically though.

 

@LouiseReviews tweeted her own review, saying 'The Book Thief isn’t a bad film, it’s not a travesty and I’m sure it will act as a suitable introduction to the Holocaust for younger viewers but it (probably inadvertently) proves the message of the novel. Books are the most powerful force in the world.'

So what did you think of the film?

The Book Thief book vs film

With a book as beloved as Markus Zusak's The Book Thief, an adaptation was always going to be a challenge. The story, narrated by death himself, follows a young girl as she arrives in a small town in Germany to live with her new foster parents – as WW2 looms.

The casting, first of all, is sublime, with Geoffrey Rush in particular on hand to warm and break your heart in equal measure. Hans is an adorable, loving father to Liesel but he is also incredibly brave and compassionate - traits which often lead him into trouble. Rush personifies this duality flawlessly, showing both the softer and more courageous elements to the character. Emily Watson does a brilliant job of showing the really harsh side to mother Rosa along with the caring, big-hearted side not everyone gets to see. She shouts and scowls a lot but there is love there too.

Young Sophie Nélisse shines as Liesel, showing the maturity the role requires, much like Liesel herself. You feel her pain and her joy and her struggle to stay close to people when she has been abandoned by those she holds dearest in the world. Nélisse captures this maturity alongside the innocence of youth and the desperation for human connection – all traits which make Liesel such a compelling character.
 

Though the story is undoubtedly Liesel’s, there is time to look further afield, at Kristallnacht, the climate of fear and supremacy, and the propaganda. Knowing the extent of the atrocities of the Holocaust only makes these scenes all the more tragic and real and there is something so horrifying about seeing it through the eyes not just of Liesel but of her school friends. While some struggle to come to terms with the society in which they live, hiding their true feelings for fear of inviting danger, others relish it and become genuinely terrifying. Perhaps to cope with the 12A certificate, much of the horror itself is left out, with the concentration camps ignored and not much seen of the Jews being marched through the town. The film largely hides away from the atrocities of war, only facing it when it lands on its doorstep – much like the characters themselves.

The overwhelming theme of words and their power is there in the film much like it is in the book, from Liesel’s struggle to learn to read to Max’s thoughts on books and writing. Words are everywhere, from the books Liesel reads with her papa, to the speeches made at rallies. They are powerful and important and hard to ignore. Words are life, Liesel, after all.

The biggest difference between book and film seems to be the general order of things. What is explained early on in the book is left to shock you later in the film. Though much of the story is cut to fit into the film's running time, some elements of it are developed further in the film, leaving certain revelations more obvious for viewers - the relationships between Liesel and Rudy, and Liesel and Ilsa, especially. The cuts, overall, make sense, but the additions add little. There is a sense that things are being spelled out for viewers rather than having things left to find out on their own. One scene in particular simply was not necessary. There was the feeling that it was trying to force the audience to cry – which is ridiculous for a film which already has such emotional subject matter.

The real challenge here was to convert the tone of the novel onto the big screen, to make it joyous, heartbreaking and beautiful all at the same time. Overall, The Book Thief film manages to capture the heartache and humour of the Zusak novel but loses much of the magic and poetic beauty of the original. The narration, the part of the book which gave The Book Thief its magic, is only really there for the opening and closing sequences of the film. Without it, the film lacks that magic that the book manages. It’s possible that the film makers realised they would not be able to match the original in this aspect and so opted to make the focus more on Liesel's story. To be honest, I'm not sure any voice could have made the narrator work as well as it did in the book. Not even Morgan Freeman!

When viewed as an adaptation, there are holes. The overall lack of narration and absence of the beautiful images from the book are sorely missed. However, as a standalone film, it is truly beautiful to watch with a breathtaking cast and stunning shots throughout. Heaven Street really does come to life on the big screen.

I only wonder how much of the emotion I felt was thanks to the film and not thanks to the memories of the book the film triggered.

Film – 3.5/5
Book – 5/5

Did the adaptation work for you? Share your thoughts on either the book or film on Twitter using #bookvsfilmclub and join the debate.

A Long Way Down adaptation gets an emotional and uplifting trailer

Nick Hornby has a talent for weaving emotional depth and humour into the same stories so it is no surprise to see that the new trailer for A Long Way Down - the latest adaptation based on one of his beloved novels - looks to follow the same path.

The story of four strangers who meet at the top of a building as they plan to commit suicide by jumping off it is an emotional and endearing one and with an impressive cast that includes Pierce Brosnan, Toni Collette, Aaron Paul and Imogen Poots, this is sure to make audiences laugh and cry when it arrives in cinemas on 21st March.

Check out the trailer below and see what you think... and join the discussion with #bookvsfilmclub.

A Long Way Down synopsis

New Year’s Eve on the top of a London skyscraper. MARTIN (Brosnan) is literally on the edge. A once-beloved TV personality, he’s now desperate to jump. But he’s not alone. Single mother MAUREEN, (Collette), sassy teen JESS (Poots), and failed musician turned pizza-delivery boy JJ (Paul), have all turned up on the same roof with the same plan. Instead of jumping, these four strangers make a pact to stay alive and stay together until Valentine’s Day at least. Both funny and poignant, A LONG WAY DOWN follows this group of unlikely friends as they try to pull back from the brink.

 

 

What will Brian Percival do with The Book Thief?

 

It's not often that I am quite this scared - and excited - to see an adaptation. It's partly because I'll be seeing it with the rest of the #bookvsfilmclub but it's basically because I am just genuinely intrigued to see what the director Brian Percival has done with this incredible story.

Casting
The casting looks incredible from the trailers alone. Sophie Nélisse looks like a new Chloe Moretz, capturing the innocence of youth but dealing with the very adult emotions her character is forced to experience. Her foster parents are both incredibly detailed characters and so very integral to the story so it is exciting to see Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson play Mama and Papa.

Perspective
To write a book from the perspective of death is a bold move, to say the least, especially when the book in question takes place in Germany during World War II. Somehow, author Markus Zusak took something so dark and made it something beautiful. It is tragic and heartbreaking but there is joy and hope to be found amid the rubble. According to IMDB, there is a narrator/death to the film but will the beautiful language of the novel remain for the adaptation?

To read my 10/10 review of the book, check out Novelicious. For more information on the book vs film club, email me at filmvsbook@gmail.com.

Here's the trailer to whet your appetite for the film adaptation, out next month:

Book highlights of 2013

2013 was the year I prioritised writing over reading, but there was no way I could cut out reading entirely! As if!

An incredible debut which caught my attention was the first of a series by young writer Samantha Shannon. The book, The Bone Season, is a clever and captivating tale about clairvoyants who have been ostracised and forced into a life of crime. It creates that world within a world that will keep the reader hooked throughout and there is also a strong female lead and the fascinating Warden who takes her on.

 

One of the most sophisticated and classy novels I had the pleasure of reading this year was Laura Lamont's Life in Pictures by Emma Straub, a story of one woman's battle with both her private and public personas, as she moves from a rural upbringing to the bright lights of Hollywood's golden era.

Though the books are not new to 2013, film adaptations released this year have sent me to some incredible novels, including the complex and fascinating study of human behaviour, World War Z by Max Brooks and the delightfully dark and romantic Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. There was also the superb memoir 12 Years a Slave by Solomon Northup and the delightful Austenland by Shannon Hale (which led to a rather entertaining and heated debate at the book vs film club!).

There were lots of great bookish events to enjoy this year too, including meeting the lovely Victoria Fox at the launch of her new book Wicked Ambition and the glamorous RNA winter party. The highlight, though, has to be a trip to the BBC to see Sarah Alexander record the vocals for The Wedding Knight by Sophie Kinsella as it was prepared for their Books at Beachtime series.

Of course 2013 was also the year the fantastic Kirsty Greenwood launched her book Yours Truly in paperback!

What have your book highlights been this year?

Book vs Film Club: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

After the general agreement of The Great Gatsby #bookvsfilmclub (the film was gorgeous, Tobey Maguire was just a bit meh), and the general disagreement of Austenland (opinions ranged from fun and adorable to stupid and patronising!), the next story has been selected and it's The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

The film adaptation arrives in UK cinemas on 31st January so soon after the club will be meeting up to discuss both book and film versions of the story. That gives you plenty of time to get reading!

To register your interest, email filmvsbook@gmail.com or Tweet me @filmvsbook.

*UPDATE* Check out my book review of this incredible story at Novelicious.

Happy reading!

Austenland: Book vs Film Club

Shannon Hale’s 'Austenland' is about one woman’s obsession with Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice and – to be precise – Colin Firth’s portrayal of Mr Darcy.

This short and easy-to-read novel is an absolute delight to read (and easy to carry on the commute!). The characters are hilarious, especially Jane herself, and the comedy in throwing a modern day American woman into an Austenesque retreat in the English countryside is non-stop. Jane is endearing, despite her ridiculously outdated ideas of love and romance, and it’s easy to warm to her.

It really is the perfect, enjoyable read for any Austen fan – especially anyone who fell in love with Firth's Mr Darcy. Your face will ache from smiling.

The film adaptation takes a much more slapstick approach to the story and takes the whole setting to more theatrical depths, with the emphasis more on gags than witty banter. 

It does provide plenty of laughs but the Austenland story is very specific in its appeal. If you love Austen and are in the mood for something silly it might just work for you. It is, though, incredibly indulgent and the humour (especially in the film) is very tongue in cheek – so much so that many may find it more patronising and insulting than clever and witty. It is a story designed to be taken as it was intended: silly escapist fun. 

Ultimately, as the subject of the book vs film club, there were mixed – and extreme – reactions to Austenland in both formats but the difference in opinion certainly made for a more fun discussion than Gatsby, which everyone seemed in agreement over.

Film - 3/5
Book - 4/5