As a movie, it works, as an adaptation, it doesn't

Rating: Null/10 (31 May 2000)

OK, a friend told me not to compare the book with the movie. So, I will only say that the book was the hardest book in the world to adapt, and this was an ambitious film for trying it. The movie works. It also doesn't work. (Catch-22) The reason that the movie itself doesn't work is that it works all too well. It gathered the style of being a catch-22, and made itself stressful, muddled, and confused. Stream of conciousness does not really work in a movie. But on a second viewing, you begin to realize that this is the purpose of the movie. So, it in essence doesn't work because it works all too well. The movie is funny, but by the time you laugh a new scene has started. The scenes last about one min. each, because Henry tried to cram as much from the book into the movie. But he left out individual favorite scenes that have nothing to do with the movie. Maybe this would work if it became the length of a miniseries, and included every aspect of the book, but that would be a monstrosity and too big. The book is impossible to transform to a movie. I hope Hollywood reads this, and maybe give it a secod chance, but for now we are left with a movie that you don't know what to say about it. ?/10