Cecilia's first ever novel P.S, I Love You (first published in 2004), became an international bestseller AND THEN was adapted into a film (released in 2007)! So it must be good right? Right?? I will discuss this, review both the novel and the movie and compare the two.
But firstly I'll give you a little run down of what P.S, I Love You is even about. We follow the story of Holly Kennedy and her perfect husband Gerry. Despite Holly's dislikes of every workplace she has been to and the quarrels with her husband, Holly's life is perfect because of her perfect Gerry. If the beginning starts out this happy, then you must expect impending horribles.
Yes, Gerry DIES.
So now Holly barley copes with her life and everything is a mess until she receives mysterious letters from her perfect and dead Gerry. This is a story about Holly's coping and about crazy families and friends.
This is for those who like to read/watch romance, love and the struggles of ordinary people going through life. If you like action or the supernatural, sorry there's none in here.
A nice heartfelt storyline so far. But how was this story depicted in the novel and the movie? Quite often people would say to movies that have been adapted from a novel would say "OMG this movie SUCKS!!!, the novel was SO MUCH BETTER". What people say is so VERY true in this case for P.S, I Love You.
"But whyyyyyyyyyyy???" You may whine... "I can't be eff-ed and bothered in reading the book, I'd rather torture myself through ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY SIX minutes than read the book!" you may sulk. But I assure you the novel owns the movie 'FO SHO.
The movie cuts out a huge GUNK out of the novel. So much happens in the novel!! Though,I can understand why they must do so due to the associated limitations of being on screen. HOWEVER consequently, I felt that the characters DIED in personality. The potentials of seeing the characters grow and evolve is completly obliterated. The extra warm fuzzies/sentimental scenes are erased and IMPORTANT CHARACTERS WERE WIPED OFF COMPLETELY. By watching the movie, you miss out on Holly's large crazy family. I thought they had a HUGE influence on her character but no, the movie leaves them out. The movie depicts Holly as plain, boring and typical.
As you probably could have guessed, I was so disappointed in the movie. Holly played by Hilary Swank was even more so shameful. Sure she is pretty but she is NOT how Holly was suppose to be. I mean, Holly was meant to sing badly. And I mean REEEEALLY badly!! In the movie though, she sung pretty good! She sings better than me anyways and that's not how it is suppose to be. That's ANOTHER black mark on you P.S, I Love You the MOVIE! Though it isn't just Hilary that was a disgrace. Pretty much every other character is. The sister was not crazy enough, the friends were not pushy and witty enough and the mother was not wise nor motherly enough. Perhaps a character that stayed true to the novel was possibly Gerry. Their lack of building their chacracters made the entire movie and its charm suffer.
What I also disliked about the movie was their so-called "creative added scenes". Were they trying to make up for cutting out SO MUCH from the book? An added character played by that SUPERNATURAL daddy, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, How Holly and Gerry met...and what the heck? A funeral in a pub! Was it suppose to be funny? I'm not even smiling. Added oomphs in its sentiments? More like extra CRAP... in the face!
All in all, if you want a heartfelt story, a story you could laugh, cry, and sigh...please PLEASE save yourself 126 minutes and just read the novel. I did cry reading it (but I do cry easily..). I assure you will FEEL MORE EMOTION than watching the movie. Read the book! It isn't even chunky!
The Chicken rates P.S, I Love You the novel:
The Chicken rates P.S, I Love You the movie:
Wow! The movie sounds like it's as bad (if not, worse) than the trailer. *backs away*
You atually made it through the movie? Wow...that is amazing!
that's what boredom does!
when you are in the heightened state of boredom, it carries you to unknown places.....
LOL
I think the movie was better than the book for sure. The book wasn't that amazing. Both weren't that great though so not much of a comparasion i suppose.