FROM BOOK TO FILM
Here are four book-to-movie adaptations that you can stream right now. You’ve probably seen them already, but it’s nice to revisit them (I did) and once again relive the drama, humor, and excitement of these extraordinary stories.
ME BEFORE YOU
Based on Jojo Moyes’
2012 best-selling romantic novel, Me Before You follows 26-year-old Lou (Emilia Clarke), a working-class fashion victim hired to take care of the ultra-wealthy and handsome quadriplegic Will (Sam Claflin). The hopelessly depressed Will is set to end his life at the Swiss-based assisted suicide program, Dignitas. But with the arrival of Will’s new and unusual caregiver, will his perspective on life dramatically change? Screenplay penned by the author herself, and directed by Thea Sharrock, Me Before You has a rich premise, yet the narrative is thinly developed. Lou and Will do not develop a strong connection; their relationship doesn’t go beyond trivial and unfunny conversations, or beyond luxury vacations wherein Lou would rather read a book than talk to Will. And Will seems more amused and concerned about Lou as a caregiver rather than in love with her as a woman.
You also get the impression that Lou is using Will so she can get a taste of the lifestyle of the rich. Clarke is miscast; struggling to portray a silly, superficial girl whose persona is solely based on flamboyant outfits inspired by the Children’s Clothing Section and not on charming traits. And her performance is so forced that you can see the effort in her thick eyebrows raising to meet her hairline during emotional scenes. Claflin’s heartfelt depiction of a man with abysmal pain, however, compensates for Clarke’s unnatural acting.
Me Before You, available to rent via Apple TV+, will not make you fall in love — but it will make you shed a tear. Despite its flimsy script, some of its visuals strike the heart, like the gentle snowfall on a silent night, or the melancholic tropical storm.
Those who are strongly against assisted suicide programs like me would still be affected by Will’s profound suffering. And this is where the film triumphs — it inspires empathy.
3 out of 5 stars THE MARTIAN
Math, science, teamwork and the sheer will to survive, are the names of the game in this deeply moving and oftentimes funny NASA version of Robinson Crusoe. Based on Andy Weir’s 2011 bestselling novel, The Martian (streaming on Netflix) is one of those films that you’d watch more than once. Or twice. The effortless Matt Damon plays Mark Watney, a.k.a. the titular Martian, who gives a layered portrayal of a man left alone on a different planet and uses his sense of humor to keep his fear and trepidation at bay.
Directed by Ridley Scott from Drew Goddard’s brilliant screenplay, The Martian, a 2016 Oscar Best Picture nominee, approaches panic and fear with ingenious subtlety. No passionate explosions here; just dry humor, rational thinking, and controlled feelings — yet big on emotional engagement. Supremely fun.
4.5 out of 5 stars CAPTAIN PHILIPS
Captain Phillips, available on Netflix and Apple TV+, is based on the memoir of American sea captain Richard Phillips. It brings to the screen the true-to-life account of the 2009 Somali pirate hijacking of MV Maersk Alabama off the coast of Somalia. Director Paul Greengrass (Bourne Ultimatum; Bourne Supremacy) and cinematographer Barry Ackroyd (The Hurt Locker)
deliver a thrilling drama. The film immerses us in both sides of the spectrum, from the perspective of the Somali pirates — and their emaciated, khat-munching, overly self-confident leader Muse (Barkhad Abdi) — and your everyday man, Captain Phillips (Tom Hanks, in a raw and powerful performance).
What makes this 2014 Oscar-nominated film riveting compared to its Danish counterpart, A Hijacking, is the emotionally rich linear narrative. This makes the storytelling more trenchant; from the exciting take off of the Somali pirates, to the hijacking process, the cat-and-mouse chase in the colossal ship, the hostage of Captain Phillips, and the impressive Navy SEALs rescue.
4.5 out of 5 stars BROOKLYN
Screenplay adapted by Nick Hornby from Colm Tóibín’s novel of the same title, Brooklyn strings you along the romantic and poignant experiences of a young Irish girl, Eilis (Saoirse Ronan), who is forced to migrate to Brooklyn, New York, to make something out of herself.
Set in 1952, this vivid film follows Eilis’ emotional journey as an immigrant — from her unbearable homesickness to her thrilling first love (Emory Cohen) up until the tragic plot twist in her young life that involves a rich man (Domhnall Gleeson).
Oscar-nominated in 2016 for Best Screenplay, Best Picture and Best Actress for Ronan, Brooklyn is a tender and deeply affecting coming-of-age drama that is both understated and tastefully sentimental.
Ronan is remarkable here. It’s a delight to observe her character’s transformation; from a timid country bumpkin to a sophisticated New Yorker, and that pallor of hers that is slowly replaced by the blush of first romance and happiness.
Directed by John Crowley, Brooklyn, which you can stream for a small fee on Apple TV+, is more than just a love story — and more than just an immigrant’s tale. Replete with internal conflicts, it’s a poignant illustration of universal truths: about home, our dreams, the painful choices that we make, and the astonishing reality that some great things in life come at the wrong time.
4.5 out of 5 stars