I usually like movies that are based on books. Sure, I have my own visualization while reading the book and more often than not the movie onscreen is very different from the movie within my head. But that is not necessarily a bad thing. If a filmmaker does his/her job well, (s)he'll be able to make me appreciate his/her version of the story. After all, a movie is always about sharing one's own view of a narrative with an audience. There have been movies based on books which I find disappointing, but that is usually because I find that the story had not been told well. Very rarely because of the visualization. Sometimes, I even find movies boring that are too close to the book and lack originality. So I appreciate it when someone shares their interpretation of the characters and stories of books that I have read.
But! For pity's sake! Please keep it within reason! Sometimes certain traits of the hero or heroine are integral parts of the story. For example Miss Marple! She's old! That's part of her charm! It's part of her story! She has lots of experience of life! That's how she solves her crimes! Whether as a fragile, homebound old lady as in the books or as the energetic, robust spinster with a sidekick as she was immortalized by the grand Margaret Rutherford! Both times her age plays a vital part in the make-up of this beloved amateur sleuth. So, having Jennifer Garner play that role is just incontheivable... in the words of another beloved character from a book turned into a movie... WTF?!?
Another case in point: Tom Cruise will play Jack Reacher. Jack Reacher the 6'5'', 250 pounds ex-MP of Lee Childs bestselling crime series. This is just sad...
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