From Page to Screen: Love, Rosie

Where Rainbows End by Ceclia Ahern was turned into the film Love, Rosie. If you only have time to read or watch one of these, I’d say, watch the film. Read on to see why.

Book: C

I wanted to love this book so badly. Other books written in letters and emails between characters (i.e. The Boy Next Door by Meg Cabot) can be wonderful chick lit. This book, however, was too frustrating for me to fully enjoy. Yes, Alex and Rosie have some heartwarming and aw-inducing exchanges, but the fact that their timing is not right for almost FIFTY YEARS is ridiculous. Emails that are obviously clear of love and feelings for one another are not grasped. Either that or the characters are both a little slow on the uptick. Also, Rosie’s exchanges with her best friend, Ruby, are quite comical, but, also, ones that I skimmed over to get back to the main plot line. Do I care that Ruby becomes a tango-dancing champion with her son? No. Why are there pages upon pages devoted to that. I found myself hastily turning the pages to when Alex and Rosie would finally realize they were meant to be. I suppose this is more realistic. People have trouble openly communicating with one another, especially when it comes to feelings of tenderness and love. But that’s not why I picked up Love, Rosie. I picked it up to go along on a slightly cheesey, romantic, butterfly-in-the-stomach ride. So unless you like stories of missed chances (like the movie Serendipity…which also drove me up a wall with frustration), skip this book and pick up one of Ceclia Ahern’s other, well-paced love stories.

Movie: B

The movie corrected the biggest mistake of the book: they sped up the process of Alex and Rosie getting together. Alex and Rosie aren’t in their 60s when they finally are able to be together–they are in their early 30s. Hallelujah!

Something that most book adaptations fall prey to when they become films is that side plot lines and characters get condensed. Ruby, Rosie’s best girl friend, only has a total of five minutes or so on screen if you add up all her appearances. Brian, Katie’s dad in the book, is combined with another character. Phil, Alex’s brother, gets mushed into a different character in the movie. Without the distinction of those characters in the film, we lose some of the insight into how much Rosie and Alex really think about each other. They spend most of each of their days talking to each other, or talking about one another. That gets lost in the film.

Despite all the condensing of characters and plot, Sam Claflin and Lily Collins are wonderful as Alex and Rosie. The chemistry they have is palpable. Just as in the book, you’ll be sighing at each missed connection, but the relief is much quicker in the film. You’ll find yourself smiling by the end!