Original novel much better than film

Rating: 2/10 (13 December 2006)

The film is totally bland, silly, uninteresting, and going nowhere. I started yawning after 10 minutes. The original novel (by Susanna Kaysen) has always been my favorite book and this film version is just awful. I'm so disappointed, the film lacks the substance, maturity, and especially the dark humor displayed in the novel. And I don't really think Winona Ryder is the suitable person to play the heroine. The problem i see with Winona Ryder as an actress is that she's always 'Winona Ryder' no matter which film she appears in, she doesn't seem to me to be able to blend herself into the character. Angelina Jolie gives a much more powerful performance, but still, that doesn't help. THe film is just lame. Do yourself a favor and don't watch the film; go read the book instead.