A film experience only enhanced by reading the book first

Rating: 8/10 (10 August 2010)

This is a great movie, but I recommend reading the book first. The filmmakers adapted it with a sense of creativity and respect for the original text, and the casting could not be more perfect. John Cusack is immensely appealing even at his most hapless, and every moment Jack Black is on screen is hilarious. Part of the fun of both the book is getting inside Rob's head and hearing his thoughts, which gave me a delightful mix of amusement that someone could be so clueless and relief that I'm not the only one who feels the way he does. The book deftly works the first-person narration of the novel by having Rob address the camera, ala Alvy Singer in Annie Hall, but naturally some of Rob's sharp observations had to be cut. Since I watched the movie the same day I finished the book, the words were fresh in my memory, so I felt like I knew what he was thinking even when he it would have disturbed the flow of the movie to have him actually say it Unless you're the type who can't enjoy a film adaptation if it veers even an inch from the book, read the book first. It has even more insights into the pain of relationships, and is darker and more cynical than this charming film. After reading it, however, I could still enjoy the film for its delightful performances and the clever changes that turned it from a British novel to an American film.