Reading This May Save Your Life

Rating: Null/10 (21 September 2010)

I was in the local Target last week, and I decided to pick up a copy of The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks. I had to read The Notebook in college, so I had a feeling that I would like this novel as well. It definitely did not disappoint. It was hard to put down, and I think I may have finished it in about 2-3 days. It was just that good. I like how Sparks took the time to develop the characters and how nothing in the novel seemed forced (for lack of a better word).
After reading the book, I was very excited to rent the movie (RedBox is amazing!) and watch it after work (as a part of my Wine and a Movie event). I can honestly say that I was a little nervous, especially after the debacle that was The Lovely Bones (great book, horrible movie), but I decided to give it a try. I figured that The Notebook was a great Nicholas Sparks adaptation, so why should The Last Song be? Hmmm...that was a HUGE logic FAIL! The movie was horrible! I found myself not being interested in the first 5 minutes, but I felt it necessary to finish the movie to at least give it a chance to redeem itself (which, of course, it did not).
Although I am young (24), I am not so naive to believe that a movie based on a book can read exactly the same, but my goodness...were they remaking the same book that I had previously read? I was highly disappointed, mad, and confused. There was no character development, and there were sections in the book that as I read it, I knew would be great in the movie...unfortunately, those episodes went untouched.
It just left me asking myself why - why did I rent this movie? why did I not turn it off in the first 5 minutes? why would they waste time and money making this movie? why Miley Cyrus? etc...
In conclusion, I advise you to just read the book and use your imagination. You'll come out better that way.