Sometimes the filmmakers get it absolutely right, and rather than coming away from the cinema detailing what is missing, I come away reliving all of the things that I loved about the book upon my first reading, having seen the characters come to life.
With this in mind, I have chosen to focus this post on books where I feel the film adaptations have completely done them justice, and as with the books, moved you more than you thought possible. The purpose isn't to encourage you to just watch the film if you haven't already read the book, but hopefully to do both!
The books that I have chosen are; The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick, Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro, and, Atonement by Ian McEwan.
"Most people lose the ability to see silver linings even though they are always there above us almost every day."The Silver Linings Playbook, Matthew Quick
At the beginning of The Silver Linings Playbook we meet Pat Peoples as he is being discharged from a mental health facility, into the care of his parents. We quickly learn of Pat's obsessive behaviour, and the driving force for his recovery which is the hope that he will be reconciled with his estranged wife, Nikki, after what Pat refers to as their 'Apart Time'. Pat has lost all concept of time, and what he believes to have been months has in fact been years, so we join Pat as he tries to piece together lost moments and move forward with his life.
Throughout the book we learn about Pat's personal struggle, his relationship with his family, and events that have brought him to this point. Witnessing his journey to discovering more about himself and his relationship with others, we feel as if his personal struggle is also our own. I really grew to love Pat, and cared deeply about what happened to him and how he was treated by others.
Pat's relationship with his father is complex, and throughout the book we see how Pat connects with his father through their love of football, and it is through this that Pat feels he is a part of something. Pat's developing relationship with Tiffany, who is overcoming issues of her own, also plays a central part within the story.
This is an endearing and thoughtful story, touching upon serious issues in a sensitive and heartwarming way, adding a touch of humour where appropriate. Above all, this is a story of unwavering hope with Pat never losing his belief that everything in life can have a happy ending if we look hard enough for the silver lining.
The film adaptation has a brilliant cast; Bradley Cooper as Pat, Robert DeNiro as Pat's father, Jennifer Lawrence as Tiffany. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, with Jennifer Lawrence winning Best Actress. A number of changes were made within the film adaptation, however the message and the spirit of the book remains; we all struggle with life at some point, in many different ways, and Pat's story will inspire hope for us all.
"Memories, even your most precious ones, fade surprisingly quickly. But I don't go along with that. The memories I value most, I don't ever see them fading.'Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro
Never Let Me Go is narrated by Kathy H, who tells us that she is now working as a carer, visiting recovery centres to care for recuperating donors. As a carer, she has time to reminisce about her childhood at Hailsham; a residential institution for children, preparing them for their lives as carers and donors. Through Kathy's recollections, we learn of her relationship with close friends Ruth and Tommy, and the complexities that both connect them and tear them apart. For Kathy, this time for reflection is clearly also an attempt for her to come to terms with all that has happened in the past, and to an extent what lies ahead in her future.
From the start of the book, Kathy gives away very little detail or background information, meaning that life at Hailsham is to a degree shrouded in mystery, however the reader gets the sense that something sinister is on the horizon, despite the descriptions of an idyllic, countryside setting. Indeed, it is a sinister and tragic story; for the children at Hailsham their life plan has been determined for them and lies completely outside of their control.
There are a number of themes explored; childhood, innocence, a willingness to accept your fate, relayed in Ishiguro's beautiful prose, which doesn't attempt to be flamboyant or dramatic, but is instead written in a relatively calm and matter of fact manner. It encourages you to consider life, and to concentrate more on the little things that will create lasting memories; friendship, a song, a gift.
This story will stay with you for a long time, it is harrowing and unsettling, and you will be thinking about it long after you have finished the last page.
The film adaptation stars Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Kiera Knightley as Kathy, Tommy and Ruth. It remains very true to the book, with a very simplistic, stripped back approach to storytelling, enabling us to make our own interpretations from what is implied within.
"From this new and intimate perspective, she learned a simple, obvious thing she had always known, and everyone knew; that a person is, among all else, a material thing, easily torn, not easily mended."Atonement, Ian McEwan
Atonement begins on a summer's evening in the 1930s at the home of the Tallis family, where thirteen year old Briony Tallis has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of her elder brother Leon and his friend, along with her cousins who have come to stay. Briony's sister Cecilia has also returned from studying at Cambridge, and is reacquainted with her childhood friend Robbie Turner, whose mother works on the Tallis family estate. It soon becomes clear that new feelings have developed between Cecilia and Robbie, which is not lost on Briony.
In response to a number of interactions that Briony witnesses between Robbie and her sister, along with a draft letter that Robbie unwittingly sends to Cecilia via Briony, Briony draws her own misconstrued conclusions on Robbie, and his intentions with her sister. This is presented as being partially due her naivety and innocence in relation to adult feelings, however there is also a more calculating self-serving element, where Briony doesn't want to see her world as she knows it to be threatened by any significant change.
Later that night a terrible incident occurs, and due to the misconceptions that Briony has formed in her imagination about Robbie, she falsely accuses him of a crime he didn't commit, thereby committing a crime herself in the process. Briony's actions set in motion a chain of events spanning decades, where the lives of those present on that summer evening are consequently changed forever.
You will experience a roller coaster of emotions while reading this book; anger, frustration, heartbreak, sadness, confusion, hope. Each of the characters will stay with you for some time, as will the vision that McEwan creates of the Second World War and the impact on both those who fought in the war, and the families that were left behind.
The film adaptation is truly beautiful and poignant, perfectly capturing the plot and and the feelings conjured by the book. One particular stand out scene from the film is a shot from the beach at Dunkirk, that would bring even the hardest person close to tears. The film is brilliantly cast with both James McAvoy's portrayal of Robbie Turner and Keira Knightley as Cecilia Tallis, being outstanding.
I strongly believe that films should never replace books, and that to truly appreciate a film it is important to first read the story upon which it is based. However there are film adaptations that can reignite your love of a story, enabling you to develop different interpretations and to place a different emphasis on certain story lines or characters.
Are there any film adaptations that you feel were better than the book? I would love to hear about them!
I thought The English Patient was better than the book. And Dr Zhivago.
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