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Sarah (7800 KP) rated The Outsider in TV

Apr 17, 2020  
The Outsider
The Outsider
2020 | Drama, Thriller
9
8.3 (7 Ratings)
TV Show Rating Watch
A great adaptation
I've had this series recorded on my box for quite a while, lockdown has finally allowed me time to watch it and it really is a brilliant adaptation of the King book.

It isnt an entirely accurate adaptation of the book, but it is a very good attempt. There are some changes but there are a lot of things that match the book too, and the majority of the changes aren't necessarily for the worst either. The story is a great one, not a surprise considering it's based on a King novel. It moves seamlessly from a detective crime thriller to a supernatural horror and the cinematography and soundtrack support this so well along with a decent amount of gore. It also has a fantastic cast. Ben Mendelsohn is perfect as Ralph and Cynthia Erivo is too as Holly, backed by a wonderful supporting cast.

There are some changes that I didn't appreciate as much though, some fairly small and minor nods towards the books - especially the references to Holly from the Bill Hodges trilogy series. Also I didn't appreciate the mid credits scene at the end of the final episode which appears to hint towards another series and a different ending. This series works so well as a standalone and I really dont appreciate them potentially looking at turning this into yet more series! It's also frustrating that the Bill Hodges trilogy has been turned into the Mr Mercedes series for another network, as really these 2 series should be linked with the same cast and theme.

Overall though this is a brilliant adaptation and definitely worth a watch.
  
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Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated The Lovely Bones (2009) in Movies

Aug 8, 2019  
The Lovely Bones (2009)
The Lovely Bones (2009)
2009 | Drama, Horror, Mystery
6
6.8 (8 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Life is just beginning to blossom for Suzie Salmon (Saoirse Ronan) who has her first date with the boy she’s been dying to kiss, when she is unexpectedly murdered. Her mother can’t deal, her father becomes obsessed and her chain-smoking grandma becomes the most stable force in the family. But Suzie refuses to cross the border between heaven and earth with her killer still on the loose and distressingly interested in her younger sister.

“The Lovely Bones” is a prime example of a good film based on an acclaimed book that could have been great given thirty more minutes. The characters were engaging but less than ideally developed, case in point would be the mother whose sudden flee from her home only to appear picking oranges on a farm left the audience collectively confused.

Still the use of perspective and sound are undeniably captivating. From the graphically delightful and horrific imagery that is the world between heaven and our own to the use of color to establish the time period.

The heroine and villain are equally engrossing yet most of the film’s seasoned actors have performed better. The least developed characters were Suzie’s parents played by Mark Wahlberg and Rachael Weisz. But Susan Sarandon as Grandma Lynn left Wahlberg and Weisz in the dust creating a delightfully flawed character in her supporting role.

Both a drama and a thriller, there were moments during “The Lovely Bones” which captivated the entire theater making it a film that will provide great images for fans of the book. Yet while it will be a delight for those familiar with the book, the plot holes that “The Lovely Bones” leaves for the non-literary crowd are staggering.

In the end “The Lovely Bones” was a good enough film that attempted to stay true to the book but really could have been lovelier.