Not Like the Book

Rating: 5/10 (21 July 2008)

Although I enjoy this movie and watch it whenever it's on, I find a few things irritating about it. The first thing is that it doesn't compare to the book. The book took place at an earlier time. Although the character is 17 in the movie and in the book, he lives in a different times. In the book, he was born in 1942 and meets Jamie in 1959. But in the movie, the time is now and I find that so irritating. Why did the makes of the film feel the need to "contemporize" it? It was condescending to teenagers and insulting to older viewers. The teens in the film dress like slobs -- couldn't Landon wear something other than an old, ratty flannel shirt just once in the movie? Did Jamie, who was so pretty, have to look so drab and plain? Another thing that irritated me was Daryl Hannah. She was woefully miscast and just a throw-in as far as I'm concerned. Finally, there is the portrayal of Landon's father. In the book, he is a Congressman who is away in Washington. In the movie, Landon's father is a doctor and is divorced from his mother. It makes the father look bad and I don't think that was necessary. Still, I like the movie, especially the end. Despite its flaws, I'll recommend this movie, especially to teens who may better understand and appreciate flannel shirts, drab jumpers and god-awful music.