Fair

Rating: Null/10 (27 July 2002)

Taken by itself this was a fair film. It wasn't wonderful, but it wasn't terrible. It wasn't your typical 'teen' movie, it contained a substantial story, and better character development, and the actors, even Mandy Moore, were decent. However... Taken in terms of a book adaptation it was absolutely awful. When I watched the film I noticed it "adapted" very little from the book, which I was almost willing to forgive... However when I saw the ending I was completely and utterly appalled. The book ends in the exact opposite way that the film ends. I could not believe that they would change 100% of the ending. The last two lines are the best two lines in the entire book, and they not only discluded those from the film, but they changed the meaning in its entirety. Though this film was not terribly made, and in terms of a "teen" film, it was even good, if you've read the book, be prepared for a major let-down.