Product: Under the Tuscan Sun (2003)
Rating: 5.0
Wonderful Adaptation
I knew when I saw the movie that it was not a faithful adaptation of the book (Francis Mayes even writes about the fictionalized screenplay in newer versions of her book). However, the resulting story comes out fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed how the director brought pieces of the reality into the fictionalized story. Ultimately, both the movie and the book are about letting go of the past, and living for the future. If you've been through a disillusionment, and you are working to redefine who you are and where you want to go in life, then you will enjoy both (Though I would recommend reading the book first). It also wouldn't hurt to be a woman in your thirties or older.In both the book and the movie, Francis Mayes comes out of a divorce looking for a new way to define her life. In both the book and the movie, she buys a Villa in Tuscany, and refurbishes it, learning about her new country and herself in the process, and falling in love with both. The big difference between the book and the movie (and don't read further if you don't want to know) is Ed. In the book, she and Ed have started dating when they buy the villa. In the Movie, she meets Ed at the end. I thought it was a clever way to wrap the movie up.