Dear John

WARNING:  Don't read the list at the end of this post if you don't want the details of either the book or movie ruined for you!  I won't give away the ending but I will give away a lot of other things!

On Saturday I went out with some very good friends (and met a few new ones) for a much-needed girls' afternoon out.  We started with lunch at Biaggi's, which was FANTASTIC!  I haven't eaten there in a few years, and I forgot how delicious it is!  Then we headed over to the theater to see Dear John.  I thought the movie was very good, but I feel that I would have enjoyed it more had I not JUST re-read the book.  I always do that - make myself read or re-read a book right before I go see the movie - and it always sets me up for some degree of disappointment.  I will say that I was not disappointed with the movie, just bummed about a few of the changes they made.  Most, if not all, of these changes are pretty insignificant as far as the storyline goes, which is exactly my point.  If the details are not important to the overall picture of the story, why do they always change them?  I know, I know, if they are that insignificant, it shouldn't matter.  But it does - to me.  The following is a list of changes that just irked me for one reason or another.  Like I said, most don't make one bit of difference, but they still bothered me because they were just different.  I wonder why the authors of these books always agree to movies that don't accurately portray their books... Anyway, here's the list:

#1 - This is perhaps my biggest issue with the movie.  It takes place in Charleston, SC.  If you have ever read more than one of Nicholas Sparks' books, you know that they ALL take place in NC.  This book takes place in Wilmington, NC.  The average person doesn't care.  I actually know far too many people who don't even know which cities are in NC and which are in SC.  But I grew up there, and I am proud of it, and gosh darn it, this story should take place in NORTH Carolina!

#2 - In the movie, Savannah is (somehow) on spring break from college, yet she has three weeks to finish the Habitat for Humanity house she is working on.  Hmm...three weeks?  In the book, she's at the beach for the summer working on several houses.

#3 - In the movie, Savannah lives at the beach.  In the movie, like I said before, she is visiting the beach for the summer.  She lives in the mountains.

#4 - Another big issue.  In the movie, Savannah's lifelong friend Tim is WAY old (like 10 years older than her), is married, and has an autistic son.  WHAT?!  In the book, Tim is only a few years older than Savannah (he's in grad school), is NOT married, and his brother is the one that's autistic.

#5 - The way Savannah tells John her thoughts about his dad being autistic is very awkward in the movie.  She just kind of comes right out and says it out of nowhere.  In the movie, she presents John with a book about autism as a going-away gift, and the discussion/argument goes from there.

#6 - In the movie, Savannah marries Tim knowing he is sick.  She doesn't seem at all like she is in love with Tim, though she obviously loves him.  In the book, he gets sick later.

#7 - The movie ending is different from the ending in the book.  I wasn't surprised - they usually are.  This one I like.  It was happy and gave you a sense of closure and future.  The book leaves you hanging a little more.  So thumbs up for the film writers on this one!

Don't get me wrong - the movie was great (and Channing Tatum certainly helped)!  Overall I really liked it, and I will definitely be watching it again.  I'll probably even buy it when it comes out on DVD.  It's just different from the book, that's all.  Next time, someone please stop me from reading the book immediately before seeing the movie so I don't get caught up in all of the insignificant differences yet again!  Thanks ladies for going with me - we need to do it again soon!