Jodi Picoult Books Reading Group. discussion

I loved the movie from the very beginning. I started to cry throughout the whole thing until I realized they changed the ending! That's what a Jodi Picoult book is all about people! The twists and turns are what make her stories so great! Needless to say I was very disappointed.

we knew the ending was going to be changed, just not how they would do it. hence why I'm waiting to rent it, because I was disapointed from the begining that they changed the ending.

Yeah, I'm peeved about that, too. I even wrote to the producer or director (can't remember which one) last year to complain. Someone on this site posted a contact in another thread. They really don't care, which I knew, but it was cathartic for me to vent and make my opinion known. The truth is, they really don't care about readers or those who have read the book. It's not who the target audience is.

It's a shame they don't take into consideration those who have read the book. Why is it that Harry Potter movies and Twilight will stick more closely, and yet the ending which made the book is ignored. Same thing happened with the Horse whisperer... they screwed that movie so badly it wasn't even funny.

So have many Kleenex are needed?

Ebby wrote: "we knew the ending was going to be changed, just not how they would do it. hence why I'm waiting to rent it, because I was disapointed from the begining that they changed the ending."

I agree Ebby, we had been warned on this site and by Jodi herself that the ending was changed. When I went to her book signing in March I think what made me less apprehensive about that was that Jodi seemed to be ok with it. It obviously wasn't what she would have chosen but she had accepted it. That being said, I totally agree with Jaime and Katie and am very disappointed by that fact. I am relieved to see that while the ending was disappointing, Katie still loved the movie, that doesn't happen often when you have read the book. I don't know if I can wait for it to come to DVD. I have been trying to guess whether it would come to the drive-in here. Cheaper that way and not sniffling in the middle of the theater.

My husband bought me tickets to go see the movie because he thought I would want to see it (he knew how much I loved the book and wanted to "surprise" me). All I did was cry through the entire movie. Which, to me, doesn't mean it was good. Just sad. It was sooooo much more predictable than the book. So much is left out. I feel bad for the people who see the movie and don't read the book. They are missing out.

As a side note, when I read the book I wasn't a parent yet. Now that I am, I have to go back and read it again. That is one of the things the movie did remind me of. I have so many more emotions about the topic, because I think I can identify even more with some of the characters that I couldn't identify with before. For example, I couldn't handle the mother in the book. She made me want to fling the book across the room, I'd get so mad at her. I identified so much more with the mother in the movie. Granted, they softened her up a lot and made her character that way for the viewing audience, but because I had SUCH a different reaction to her, it makes me wonder if it's because of the way the movie portrayed her, because I am now a mother, or a little of both.

Ebby wrote: "It's a shame they don't take into consideration those who have read the book. Why is it that Harry Potter movies and Twilight will stick more closely, and yet the ending which made the book is igno..."

Whaaaaaaat? They changed the ending? OMG. I mean they (movie people) could very well changed the ending to Marley and Me (hello, it'd make sense that people would leave happy and giggling but no...decided to stick to the book) and now they change this one? MAD. The ending, despite being mega sad, it's also what makes the book so clever. COME ON!

thanks everyone for your thoughts. I've decided that I won't be wasting my money or 2 hours of my life on the movie... I'll stick with the book and not set myself up for dissappointment.

Kori wrote: "thanks everyone for your thoughts. I've decided that I won't be wasting my money or 2 hours of my life on the movie... I'll stick with the book and not set myself up for dissappointment."

Same here. I won't be watching it. I have better use for the money I'd be using to go to the cinema: buy more books.

To me the movie is worth seeing solely based on the performance of Sophia Vassilieva who plays "Kate".

I too was disappointed with the movie. Changing the ending was pointless, since either way someone died. I read the book years ago when it first came out and my mom finished it recently before we saw the movie. I had forgotten the ending until she reminded me of it. Although a very emotional movie, the book was WAY better. I might no even get it on DVD.

The movie was good, but I was irritated with the ending. That's not how it ended in the book !!!. I understand they have budget and time restrictions but come on, stay true to the book, especially with the ending.

I went into the movie knowing they were going to change the ending completely, so I was prepared for it to be different. I thought it was really well done and bawled throughout the entire thing! The cast, especially the actresses who played Kate and Anna, did a fantastic job and the movie was still as emotionally charged and heart wrenching as the book- just in a different way.

I disagree. I didn't see the movie on purpose because I heard they changed the ending. If you are going to adapt a book for a movie then be true to that movie. I hate it when Hollywood changes the ending of a book just to make it more hollywoodish.

Not me. Stay true to the book all the way or don't adapt it at all.

I thought all the actors were very good and if they did the ending the same as the book the film would be 4 hours long...I think they did a great job and I really enjoyed the movie...

Amy wrote: "Well some parts of books might be hard to recreate, and that might change the ending of the story. Also, it wouldn't have probably looked good on the screen, when a person can actually see it happe..."


Amy, that's my point. If the book cannot be adapted - meaning keeping the movie as the book is written - then I don't think it should be adapted at all. Some books just should not be made into movies. Yes, the book is always better than the film version, but I think it's so wrong to change the book as it was written.

Shannon wrote: "Changing the ending ruined the entire essence of the book, that and the fact that I can't take Cameron Diaz seriously playing a "mom." "


I didn't see the movie and part of it was the casting. There is no way I can take Cameron Diaz seriously playing the mom or any mom, for that matter. I think you are so right!

Etchavez wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Changing the ending ruined the entire essence of the book, that and the fact that I can't take Cameron Diaz seriously playing a "mom." "


I didn't see the movie and part of it w..."

Hahahaha.....I have to laugh. All I can think about when I think of Cameron Diaz is the part in There's Something about Mary when she has the hairdo due to the, well, you know (if you've seen There's Something About Mary, that is). I know that this doesn't have anything to do with this topic, but I can't stop laughing. I just can't take the woman seriously. Sorry!! She sealed her fate for me with that movie. Not that I don't like her, I just can't take her seriously. She's typecast in my head as a comedy actress.

I have to read the book first. I have seen several movies based on books and won't see the movie unless I have read the book first.

Jaime wrote: "Etchavez wrote: "Shannon wrote: "Changing the ending ruined the entire essence of the book, that and the fact that I can't take Cameron Diaz seriously playing a "mom." "


I didn't see the movie..."

I have seen Something About Mary and it is also hard for me to take her seriously in a serious role because of it. I don't mind her as an actress either, just not as a serious one. I really didn't picture her ss the mom in My Sister's Keeper. Why they chose her I'll never know or understand.

Amy wrote: "I have seen that movie, so I know what you are talking about, and what about when she was in The Holiday.. I try to just watch the movie and think about the people as being real, and not rememberin..."

That's one of the many reasons why I'm not a big movie watcher. I definitely type-cast if one of the movies the actor/actress was in was really over-the-top. I enjoy books much more because I can create the characters in my head without a visual/actual person playing a character being given to me. I haven't seen The Holiday.

Etchavez, I'm with you 100%. I still haven't seen "The Other Boleyn Girl" or "Revolutionary Road" for just that reason. They are both on my very long TBR list, though!

I do like to go to movies, but won't read the book after seeing a movie it's based on. I just know I will be disappointed in some way if I do. I saw the movie Revolutionary Road and thought it was okay. I did hear that the book was great. Maybe I'll make an exception with that one................I doubt it though!! I will be picturing Leo Dicaprio and Kate Winslet as the characters and will make them fit instead of the other way around. We definitely agree on this front Jamie!!

Amy,

I agree that movies can draw people into reading. Especially people who aren't "readers". And I agree that reading a book first sometimes helps one to understand the movie better (if not for the sole purpose of understanding the motivations behind some of the characters that one may miss in only seeing the movie). Although, at times, I also think it can be confusing if you interpreted the character differently than the actor/actress/director in a movie has interpreted them. When you read, there is so much more character development and detail, I feel you develop a better relationship with him/her. Reading is such and active process, a completely different medium than watching a movie, which is a passive experience. A movie is an actor/actress'/director's/producer's representation of the character where when you read you develop your own representation based on the authors' description alone. So, due to the difference, I can see where they may, at times, help one another and, at other times, hinder one another.

Funny seeing you here Amy! Ha ha ha!!
I actually wanted to see the movie when I saw the preview for it and was not much of a reader at the time. I am on facebook and a friend had posted how dissapointed she was in the movie ending. That seriously made me want to read the book before seeing the movie, and it got me into reading. I liked the book a lot and was disappointed in the ending. I do think they should've stuck to the book ending.

I was talking about My Sister's Keeper. It has made me realize that I no longer want to see a movie before reading the book. I find that the books are sooooo much better.

I agree. I was very angry with the mother in this book. I thought she showed extreme favoritism for Kate. I know the child was sick, but I had a hard time believing that she loved Anna as nothing more than a matching donor for Kate. I felt for Anna. I could not imagine having to go though the possibility of losing a child, but to use one for the other? I felt it was wrong.

Exactly Amy... Exactly!!!!

I cried as well throughout the whole movie when it was in the theatre.

My brother died from Lukemia before I was born. My mom was asleep when I got home and I woke her up crying histerically. I kept sobbing how she dealt with the death of a child. Not only did she lose one child but TWO. (my other brother got hit by a car in front of our house before my other brother got sick.)

Also my Dad died from Cancer in 1989 from Cancer. We believe the Cancer struck our family due to the water being contaminated in Woburn Massachusetts. Google that last sentence into Google to learn about the movie and the history.

Great movie, Jodi!

Amy wrote: "She probably had no control over the ending, and the writers, producers, directors, whoever is in charge is doing to do what they want. I believe the reason the ending was changed, was to make a po..."

Amy, I went to one of Jodi's book signings last March and you are right. She had no control over the changes to the movie. I am sure that is part of the contract when you sell your rights to a movie producer. JP was NOT happy about the change but was told by the movie people that "readers don't matter"! I think that part makes me madder than anything else. Without the readers making the book so popular there wouldn't be a movie!!

Anyway, JP wasn't happy about it and while it did change the entire message of the story itself I was surprised to like the movie. I just had to compartmentalize it separately from the book. I just go into it knowing that a movie will NEVER measure up to the book.

Amy wrote: "I believe that the mother (I forget her name) had been fighting Kate's battles for her for so long, that she failed to realize that Kate had grown up and could make her own decisions. I think the d..."

I think that the mom just was doing whatever she had to to save her child and didn't realize that she did it at the cost of the rest of her family. That is a frequent theme in JP's books. As a parent how do you let one child die while another is able to help? I am not saying that she was right or wrong. I just know it must be an incredibly difficult situation to be in and I sure wouldn't want to be in those shoes for anything.

I think that is the point Jodi tried to make with MSK, that it is really easy to get caught up in saving one child but in reality we never know when any of us, or our children, might die, healthy or not.

I liked the movie as well! I have just come to the conclusion that is a movie looks apealing to me, then I am reading the book first. You never know what you may be missing!

Amy wrote: "I believe that the mother (I forget her name) had been fighting Kate's battles for her for so long, that she failed to realize that Kate had grown up and could make her own decisions. I think the d..."

Unless you have your own child, you really can't say how you would act in a situation like this one. I was not a big fan of the mother in this book; however, having three children of my own, I did empathize, at times, with how she was feeling and how much she really wanted to save Kate. I do feel she favored Kate more at times, but also felt she and Anna were really building a stronger relationship by the book's end. I do think it was fair to let Anna decide how she wanted her body and body parts to be treated. It really should be her decision after a point. Another huge part of this story that I felt was sad was the son. He was being neglected in a whole nother way and was just screaming out for help and attention and was pretty much just being ignored. This story/book did a good job of showing the extreme toll Kate's illness took on the entire family.

I agree...I can't read a book after I have seen the movie. It ruins my ability to accept the characters as the author intended because I already have a preconceived idea of what they look like and act like. The movie is always a disappointment. Well almost always.

I agree with you Dara. I have the same problem. I have a rule for myself. If a movie looks interesting to me, I need to read the book before seeing it.

Same for me!

Yes, I was furious! I was all set to enjoy the movie and watched in anticipation. When I realized the ending was so drastically different, I was so disgusted I tuned out the rest of the movie.

They ruined the WHOLE point of the book! How did Jodi Picoult feel about this? I'd have been upset if I'd written this book and they destroyed it the way they did.

It is my understanding that Ms. Picoult was a contributor to the movie screenplay and was on set during filming. I personally can't believe she agreed to this. I would have never agreed to such a drastic and horrible change.

Etchavez wrote: "It is my understanding that Ms. Picoult was a contributor to the movie screenplay and was on set during filming. I personally can't believe she agreed to this. I would have never agreed to such a ..."

Etchavez,
I can't believe she'd agree to it either! I've heard of authors being outraged by the way their book was changed when it was turned into a movie. This is probably the worst adaptation I've ever seen since the ending from the book sent a very clear message and lesson that the movie did not and I'm shocked Jodi Picoult would agree to such a change.

I am shocked by this too. I didn't even see the movie. I wanted to and then heard how the ending had been changed and refused to see it. Plus, I didn't like the casting of Cameron Diaz as the mother. I just couldn't see her in that role. I thought she was too young and just an all around poor casting choice.

I hadn't heard how the ending changed, but wasn't impressed with the casting of Cameron Diaz as the mother. I saw it anyway when it came out on dvd and while Diaz did a better job than I'd thought she would, I still didn't buy into her as the loving mother of a sick child. And when I watched the changed ending, I started yelling at the television. I just couldn't believe it.

I just finished reading My Sister's Keeper today, and I wasn't aware that the movie ending was different from the book ending until Jodi herself explained it to us at the book signing she recently had.
When I read it, I couldn't believe how much they had changed! Not just the ending, but the perspective (movie was from Kate, and book was more focused on Anna's), and the characters (Julia was excluded completely, Jesse was not nearly as rebellious in the movie, and personalities were just not right)!

I think it's fine to take some creative freedom when making a movie, and of course it's a tear jerker and a movie I really love(d) but I don't know how I will respond to it next time I watch it knowing the truth about the ENTIRE story.

I was very disappointed in several changes in the movie, firstly Cameron Diaz- really?
They left out Julia.
I actually jumped up in the cinema and shouted at the screen when the change in ending was revealed.

I went to a book signing. And JP told the audience what happened. The producer and director told her they would never change the ending because that is what made the movie. Then a few months into it, they refused to let JP back on set and she learned they changed the ending. She was LIVID! She said it's a good movie, but it's NOT her story.

Are we talking about MSK? If yes then I was also very disappointed. There were more differences then similarities in the movie and the actors were poorly picked (seriously Cameron Diaz as a mum!!!!!) And they did not have Julia Romano in the movie I was just like seriously? You removed one of the main characters from the book? A few other differences are Judge DeSalvo is a woman, katie dies instead of Anna. There is also Aunt Kelly?

I did not like the MSK movie! They took out important details!!