This is one of those posts you'll most enjoy if you've already read this week's review book. I don't want to exclude anyone, so go read the book! Then read this post. There aren't really spoilers, per se, but it won't be very interesting unless you know what I'm talking about.
So what am I rambling about, you ask? Well, How I Live Now is a movie now! And a damn fine one, if you ask me. But some changes were made that, if you think carefully about them, make perfect sense.
Edmond is the older one. Daisy's cousin/love interest in the book is one of the twins... but in the movie, he's the older cousin. So there are no twins, and the older one has the name Edmond. This cuts down on the number of characters involved, and it makes slightly more sense that she would fall for the one protecting them all, watching out for them, etc. Also, she's picked up at the airport by Isaac.
Joe. Joe was totally made up for the movie. At first, I was like "if we had to get rid of Osbert, why did we add a neighbor kid?" But then I saw where Joe's story led, and I realized it was a great addition, and you wouldn't necessarily want his story to happen to someone in the family.
Leah is eliminated. In the book, Daisy has a friend in America who blathers on about high school girl nonsense until communications are cut. She doesn't exist in the movie, and I think that's a good thing.
The goat is eliminated. Without getting too specific, the goat's story is one of my favorite things of the book. And the goat doesn't exist in the movie. It's not required, but it's good, and I suppose Joe and his story "replace" it fairly well.
Otherwise... it's pretty close to the book. Which I suppose might be easier both because (1) the book's plot and characters lend themselves better to a direct adaptation to film, and (2) it's an indie movie, so they didn't overprocess it into a lack of recognition. (Case in point: If you didn't show me the title of the movie World War Z, I would - at best - guess that it might be a companion story to Max Brooks' work. Which I suppose it is anyway. But it is not "based on the novel.")
So what am I rambling about, you ask? Well, How I Live Now is a movie now! And a damn fine one, if you ask me. But some changes were made that, if you think carefully about them, make perfect sense.
Edmond is the older one. Daisy's cousin/love interest in the book is one of the twins... but in the movie, he's the older cousin. So there are no twins, and the older one has the name Edmond. This cuts down on the number of characters involved, and it makes slightly more sense that she would fall for the one protecting them all, watching out for them, etc. Also, she's picked up at the airport by Isaac.
Joe. Joe was totally made up for the movie. At first, I was like "if we had to get rid of Osbert, why did we add a neighbor kid?" But then I saw where Joe's story led, and I realized it was a great addition, and you wouldn't necessarily want his story to happen to someone in the family.
Leah is eliminated. In the book, Daisy has a friend in America who blathers on about high school girl nonsense until communications are cut. She doesn't exist in the movie, and I think that's a good thing.
The goat is eliminated. Without getting too specific, the goat's story is one of my favorite things of the book. And the goat doesn't exist in the movie. It's not required, but it's good, and I suppose Joe and his story "replace" it fairly well.
Otherwise... it's pretty close to the book. Which I suppose might be easier both because (1) the book's plot and characters lend themselves better to a direct adaptation to film, and (2) it's an indie movie, so they didn't overprocess it into a lack of recognition. (Case in point: If you didn't show me the title of the movie World War Z, I would - at best - guess that it might be a companion story to Max Brooks' work. Which I suppose it is anyway. But it is not "based on the novel.")
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