marymorrissey Review of We Think the World of You

We Think the World of You (1988)

seriously flawed adaptation for me at least. . .

[3/10 · 21 February 2010]

It's nice that someone wanted to adapt this book, but there are a few big problems. One: Johnny is supposed to be very beautiful with "honey colored skin". Gary Oldman? It's like, as John Waters would say, Jaws without a shark. What's worse though is that the novel is told from the point of view of Frank. The film is too objective in its writing. Not that give a whit about Frank "growing" which he does, to understand Megan and finally respect her. The fact is the fun of the book is Frank's bad attitude towards these people who, in his view, and perhaps even objectively, if your objectivity doesn't match that of the screenwriter, treat him abominably. Instead we get this pathetic old queen with a poor dye job who and instead of identifying with him and his curmudgeonly prospective, we find almost painful to watch! In effect not only the "arc" but the whole feel of the story is undermined.