Has heart but is too simplistic

Rating: 7/10 (16 May 2020)

I love the novel because it's very witty & rich in character descriptions. Also, it's an epistolary novel, written as letters from various characters. This allowed the novel to carry the voices of all characters. Obviously, such a book is hard to adapt onscreen. Besides, books have an advantage of being descriptive. Sometimes what may be a single, yet important, paragraph in a book may take a few minutes on screen, so time becomes a limiting factor. The transition between the two different media is difficult and hence it's not very surprising that most (but not all) movies tend to be poorer representations of their original novels.
A few crucial changes were made in the script & some characters from the novel were deleted especially Sophie & Remy. I think at least Sophie should've been retained because her absence makes it difficult to understand Sidney & Juliet's close association.
However, putting all that aside, if I look at the movie in a more objective manner, then I'd say that the makers have done quite well. It comes off as a heart-warming tale depicting how literature & community spirit can play the role of a great buffer against the harshest conditions. The German occupation of Channel Islands made it necessary for these people to have each other to share their burdens. Lily James is good as Juliet Ashton, the sympathetic writer who wants to write their story. All the actors did a fabulous job & the cinematography was particularly beautiful.
Overall, it's a decent movie. Not as witty as the novel, but quite good nonetheless.