My Sister’s Keeper
Originally published at Nightfalling. Please leave any comments there.
I borrowed the audiobook of this from the library when I heard about the movie. I liked the book alot, as did the co-workers who also listened to it. So my bud Kristine and I hit the theatres to see this since we’d both heard the book.
I’m still not sure if I liked it or not.
It was very well acted, especially by the 2 girls. I think Cameron Diaz is getting far to much praise for her role as I wasn’t awed by her but I’m not a Cameron fan remotely. She bugs me and looks like the Joker to me.
They changed so much from the book and that kind of stuff tends to bug me. So I’ll spoiler warn here for the both the book and the movie because I’m going to compare. Don’t click beyond here if you don’t want spoiled.
Things they changed I liked
- They removed Julia. On closer inspection I liked this because I wasn’t into the Campbell/Julia sidestory wah-wah love affair. I didn’t feel it. And it distracted from the main story.
- They cut back on the stupid morons informing Campbell that he can’t bring a dog their, him telling them it’s a service dog, them leaning forward and looking at him proclaiming him not blind. It’s offensive. Service dogs exist for things other than blind people. And how did they know he wasn’t training the dog to be a service dog? Idiots.
- I think I liked how they changed Jesse. They dropped his “I’m an arsonist to get attention” story-line although they through one in about him being dyslexic that was unnecessary instead. He actually seemed to care about his sisters whereas in the book he didn’t seem to care one way or another.
Things they changed that bugged me
- Not hardly any Campbell. Like 2 scenes. He was an important character in the book. Not so much here.
- They made Sara’s sister a live-in helper and changed her name. And ended up giving most of the serious conversations dealing with Kate’s health and Anna’s lawsuit to her and Sara where they were almost word for word Sara and Brian in the book. Kinda weird to give a husband and wife conversation to 2 sisters instead.
- They made Kate and Taylor sleep together. NEVER HAPPENED IN THE BOOK! They also had Kate know right away when he died which I didn’t really care about one way or another, just noticed.
Things they changed I’m Meh towards
- Okay, in the book, Anna wins the case and rides with Campbell because she has papers to sign. During the ride, they’re in a car crash, rendering Anna a vegetable. Campbell, now her medical guardian chooses to donate her kidney to Kate, saving Kate’s life. Which made no sense to me since she still had cancer, working kidney or not.Here, the reveal comes out at the trial that Kate wanted to die and they all go to the hospital (including added family members that were annoying) and spend time, they leave with only Kate and Sara and we’re told in a narration from Anna Kate died that night. THEY CHANGED WHICH GIRL DIES!!! Which I’m meh about because…well it makes more sense for Kate to die but it’s really, REALLY different from the book.
- They turned the judge from a man to a woman. Didn’t care much either way but why was it necessary?
Not really a change but in the end we’re told of everyone, Jesse changed the most. He went back to school and got a degree, blah, blah. Lazy writting because we were never told he was out of school and causing problems. It can be assumed if you’d read the book but since they dropped him being an arsonist, why should we assume they kept him as a lazy delinquent in other ways?
And Thomas Dekker (a.k.a young John Connor from the Terminator tv show and Zach from season 1 Heroes) seemed way to old as Taylor. It skeeved me out seeing him with Kate because she looks painfully young next to him. Their sex scene really felt icky to me.