I am currently reading (and enjoying) White Oleander, and I was wondering if anyone has read the book and seen the movie (I have yet to see the film).
If so, did you think the film did any justice to the characters in the book?
Was it a major suckfest?
I am curious.
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I read the book, but I haven’t seen the film. Michelle Pfeiffer tends to grate on my nerves, so I might just wait for it to be on cable.
I really enjoyed the book, but from the ads for the film, it seems to be a lot darker than I remember the book being.
Is the book really that depressing?
I read it a couple of years ago, and don’t remember it being so depressing. I though it was quite good.
Yeah, the book is pretty dark - but the wonderfully descriptive way it’s written makes it appear less so.
It’s amazing how many people’s nerves Michelle Pfeiffer grates on. I don’t mind her myself.
I loved the book and am anxious to go see the film. I think Michelle Pfeiffer is perfect for the role.
I also read the book, and absolutely loved it. I have been waiting for a long time for this film to come out, but unfortunately I have not yet gotten the opportunity to see it. I also remember the book being fairly dark. I was hoping to read it again before I saw the movie, but I realized that I lent it out to someone and never got it back.
If anyone has seen it, I would love to hear what they think.
Wow. I guess I am the first to respond to this thread to actually have seen the movie. I am going to go out on a limb and say the movie was surprisingly good.
I enjoyed the book, though I did think it was quite dark and overwhelming. The movie explores the same issues as the book, only it does it in a much more condensed two hour time period. This actually worked well for it. It was a neat package of a movie.
All the parts were cast quite well. Allison Loehmen played a perfect Astrid, whose pain just oozed out of the movie. Pfeiffer turned on the iciness and self-absorption as the mother.
The movie kept all the good parts. I loved when the two disciples of the mom came to confront Astrid. It was a beautiful moment.
The only complaint I had, other than a few time essential story editing issues (the story of the murder and the mothers character weren’t set up as well as could be), was that Rene Zwelinger was not the perfect Claire. The other casting decisions were all so perfect. I am a huge fan of Rene, and I think she did a great job with the role… she just is not at all what I pictured physically.
I have not read the book but I have seen the film.
I too, for some unknow reason to myself, don’t really enjoy Ms.Pfeiffer. However she was very good in this film.
and now for some
I didn’t like the film as the end was just too ‘nice’. They redeem the villian which made no sense what so ever either character wise or plot wise. She has been convicted of the crime of murder and now there is some second trial for a jury? Not a parole board hearing or an appeal. It made no sense in a legal way. Plus the sudden redemption was not justified for her character wise. Then of course all the hell the girl went through in the foster system seemed a bit ‘done’. It was pretty easy to see things coming. The happy ending of two 18 year old kids going to NYC and becoming happy artists in a huge loft apartment was so out of touch as to be annoying.
Basically I thought the acting in the film was very good but the script wasn’t very good.
My sister LOVED the book (she’s putting it in her top 10) and said the movie just couldn’t define the characters in such as short amout of time. I’m going to start the book tonight, on her recommendation.