Kite Runner The Movie

I may be biased when I do this review. Because I have read the book, and have cried oceans over it, and have had scenes from the book playing in my mind long after I am done reading, I have expected much more, if not on par, with the movie version. This hope is intensified by the favorable local review of the movie and the global acceptance.

I am, however, disappointed.

I have to be fair here – my disillusionment does not have anything to do with the actors, setting, direction, cinematography and all-film related matters. Rather, if you look at Kite Runner as the movie, it would fairly pass as a ‘good movie’. The actors do not disappoint (the aging of Baba-jan from a young to an aging, sick father is truly believable – ditto for Rahim Khan), the settings appear real (although shot in China), and the cinematography is excellent. I especially like the credits at the beginning of the movie. The artistic element, combined with such appropriate fonts, bring out the essence of the story and theme very well.

My disenchantment lies in the way the script has been modified to suit the length of a movie. Many crucial parts have been omitted, so much so that I, who have read the book, could not help but to compare the two versions. If the omissions were done subtly, perhaps I would not have noticed and may forgive. However, the omitted scenes were those that portray Amir’s many struggles and survival. These scenes are crucial as these reflected the development of Amir’s character.

I fail to empathize with Amir the Movie. Undoubtedly, I like Amir the Book better.

THE TRUIzM
You will enjoy this if you have not read the book. However, if you watch it first, and find that you like it, wait till you read the book. You will be overjoyed. Don't forget to read my review (go to older post) if you have not.

Tending Roses

Author: Lisa Wingate

If Ms Wingate’s sole intention of penning this is to make us ‘stop and smell the roses’; I’d say she has succeeded.

Kate Bowman has a task no one can possibly envy – to cajole 89-year old Grandma Rose to move out of her Missouri farm to a nursing home. Although almost senile and has, on several occasions, unwittingly almost set the half-century old house on fire, Grandma Rose is a strong and stubborn character, who through her own handwritten daily dairy, has been telling Kate more about life than Kate would possibly imagine or learn from anyone else.

Kate herself does not come to the farm with no baggage. On maternity leave with an infant who has a chronic disease and a husband who is struggling with a new business, Kate is often exasperated by the emotional and financial problems. Throughout her stay at the farm and through her interactions with Grandma Rose, she is forced to re-evaluate her life and priorities.

This book is a wake-up call of sorts to me. As with Kate, I begin to rethink of my life and my priorities and if I am really doing justice to those whom I claimed I love. I especially like this from the book: ‘Maybe you should start wanting less.’

I think if we live by that mantra, we can be much happier than we are now.

Kate’s financial problem is something that we all struggle with everyday, and in that aspect, I can sympathize with her and her frustrations.

However, the flow of the book is quite slow – while characters develop fast, the pace is sluggish. Perhaps, it has to do with the setting – an old sleepy farm town in Missouri. Yawn.

The TRUIzM
A slow-moving book with characters AND issues that you can easily identify with. To read only if you have a huge amount of patience.