Books vs Movies
Books that are better than the movies: #1
A colleague referred me to watch the movie version of this one day and somehow I decided to check if it was a book to movie adaptation and lo and behold I was right! I watched the movie first and had just finished reading the book.
“The Last Letter From Your Lover” was published on January 10, 2008 by Jojo Moyes. This isn’t my first book by Moyes. I have read (and watched the movie adaptation) “Me Before You” which I adored, but I can’t say the same to the sequel “After You” and I didn’t even bother reading the last book “Still Me” because of the bad reviews.
Anyway, let’s move on…
I’m actually not sure which one I prefer: movie or book. There are some parts I like more in the movie than the book and vice versa. But I guess, the book has more points than the movie since I will be referencing it more than the latter. I can tell you one thing for sure: the end of the movie version was a tearjerker and waaay better than the book ending.
First off, I really thought that the characters are much older compared to their counterparts in the movie, especially Anthony O’Hare “Boot” (Callum Turner in the movie). I don’t know why I imagine him with a mustache and a fedora. 👨🎩
Mrs. Jennifer Stirling (Shaielene Woodly) was described in the book as:
“You’re lovely and funny and full of joie de vivre. You have the perfect rich, handsome husband who adores you, and a wardrobe any woman would die for. Your hair is always perfect. Your waist is the span of a man’s hand. You’re always the center of any social gathering and all our husbands are secretly in love with you” Yvonne Moncrieff
I don’t feel it in the movie, though, Shaielene’s version of Jennifer was timid, awkward (even before she lost her memory) and often a push over. She’s a lackluster character compared to her book counterpart. The one redeeming thing I can see was her fashion sense! And her hair! Chef's kiss. I'm not sure though if its historically accurate.
When movie Jennifer finally got the courage to break free from her loveless marriage, she went to find Boot (with her daughter Esme in tow) in his “ The Nation” office, only to discover that Boot had already left for Africa, her search stopped there. Movie Jennifer even got back with Larry! Book Jennifer traveled to Congo to hunt for her man. Although she was unsuccessful (the country was at war), still book Jennifer had taken charge of her future! She didn’t wait while twiddling her fingers doing absolutely nothing like in the movie. Book Jennifer also found a job that gave her a purpose, an unpaid one at first, but she made her way up and got offered a paid position. I can understand that you can’t squeeze all the plots of a 400-page-book into a 2 hour-movie, nevertheless it’s nice to read that Jennifer had more substance after she lost the love of her life a second time.
I didn’t fancy movie Jennifer's reasons why she didn’t leave Larry sooner and I don't know why the screen writers would change from the book. Movie Jennifer said she had to make sure that the law would support her decision to divorce and still keep their daughter in her custody because Larry threatened her that no court would be on the side of an adulteress. Book Jennifer had more backbone. With the help of Larry’s ex secretary Moira Parker (Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned) who gave her documents about Larry’s back dealings of keeping the truth about the harmful effects of asbestos, she had gained leverage against Larry and was able to bargain for her independence. Truthfully, I’m torn between admiring book Jennifer for her courage in facing Larry and disappointed with her as she was willing to keep her silence to get rid of him. It was later revealed in the book that in order to correct her husband’s faults, Jennifer made a foundation to help those victims and their families who were affected by asbestos. Jennifer and Larry maintained a distant but amicable relationship for the sake of their daughter until Larry died from an illness due to cigars seven years after their separation. (Lung cancer? I thought it was asbestos too, but no, it was the cigars. No smoking kids!).
I appreciate that Ellie Haworth (Felicity Jones) was introduced quite early in the movie. It helped tie the main characters together. We met book Ellie many pages away (almost at the end of the book) which made me wonder if she was only created for the movie, and it made the story disjointed somehow. What I didn’t appreciate in the movie, however, is how they portray Ellie as a flighty wh*re, who abandons her friends to hook up with random strangers. Her character's love struggles were poorly written too.
Book Ellie fell in love with a thriller writer named John Armor (was left out of the movie) who happens to be married. Ellie as a mistress relates to Jennifer’s own story which connected it more than movie Ellie, whose backstory is she was afraid of having children with a man she had a relationship with for eight years and was now having difficulty to commit because of that.
I also enjoyed Jennifer and Ellie’s interactions in the book. Movie Jennifer made it hard for Ellie to communicate with her. Book Jeniffer seemed to accept her lost love story:
A story long past that you could reminisce with acceptance and appreciate the joy, sadness, pain and regrets. Ellie
Jennifer’s story made Ellie question the difference between Boot’s honest and intense love compared to John’s guilty and debatable one.
“Theirs, she thinks, was a love affair that meant something. He was a man who cracked himself open in front of the woman he loved; he sought to understand her and tried to protect her, even from herself.” Ellie Haworth (Book)
The constant guilt, their secret rendezvous making her become unprofessional at work didn't make Ellie become a better person, unlike how Jennifer’s love for Boots made her stronger.
What we didn’t see, which I really, REALLY would have wanted to be included in the movie, was how John’s wife, Jessica Armor, confronted Ellie. As much I like Ellie, I think she deserved the dressing down:
“I’d like to hope you end up a miserable, lonely woman. But actually, I hope you have children one day, Ellie Haworth. Then you’ll know how it feels to be vulnerable. And to have to fight, to be constantly vigilant, just to make sure your children get to grow up with a father. Think about that the next time you’re purchasing see-through lingerie to entertain my husband, won’t you?”
Jessica Armor (Book)
If Jessica didn’t find out about the affair, would it have stopped? I doubt it. Ellie had already begun to speculate that John was about to divorce his wife even after her conversations with Jennifer. But after the slap in the face (Figuratively speaking because Jessica didn’t, but I would have wanted her to. Hehehe. I swear I’m not violent in real life.), Ellie eventually realized that John never truly loved her. He didn’t know any personal details about her. But the worst part is, he still wanted to continue the affair even after his wife had already caught them. What does that tell you?
Because she’s afraid that if she asks for more, he’ll feel backed into a corner and the whole thing will crash down around them. She’s always known what the deal was. She can’t claim to have been misled. But just how little could she reasonably be expected to take? It’s one thing when you know you’re loved passionately, and only circumstances are keeping you apart. But when there’s no sign of that to keep the whole thing afloat . . . Ellie Haworth (Book)
Moving on with Anthony O’Hare or “Boot” for short. I feel like Boot didn’t have much screen time for his backstory in the movie. I mean we see him plenty of times with Jennifer as a couple, but rarely as Anthony the writer, husband and father. Book Boot (hmmm doesn’t sound right, let’s go back to Anthony)....book Anthony was a man that had seen things, a ladies man who prefers women who are already attached but he himself cannot commit. That all changed after he met Jennifer. You can feel his transition from mere infatuation to honest love towards his dearest Jennifer through his letters (namesake of the movie/book).
“I am telling you this because I need you to know that I’m going to be a better man. Hah! I can barely believe I’m writing such a cliché. But it’s true...I will be a better person for you, darling. I want to live well, and I wish for you to be proud of me. If all we are allowed is hours, minutes, I want to be able to etch each of them onto my memory with exquisite clarity so that I can recall them at moments like this, when my very soul feels blackened.” Anthony O’Hare (Book)
In the book, I later found out that Boot never came back to Congo. He was in a coma, he didn’t go to Congo! (Yes, I said it twice). He drank himself silly, causing his already abused liver (He had yellow fever from his previous stint in Africa) to act out.
Although they had good intentions in mind, I think it was the staff of The Nation who really screwed up his second, err third chance with Jennifer (I’m looking at you Cheryl!). When Jennifer came to the office looking for him, they implied that he had already left for Congo and it was Cherly (secretary of Boot’s boss), who sent Jennifer’s letter to the library (The Nation’s archives), which we all know Ellie later found after many years.
However, I think it was fate that they didn’t end up together at that time. Boot had a son, Philip (was left out of the movie), with his ex wife Clarisse, who was dying of cancer. Accident, amnesia, coma, now cancer? Ugh, Jojo Moyes wtf are you doing with such cliché’s?! Anyway… When Clarisse finally died, Boot had a chance to become a father to his son. They needed each other as both had loved and lost.
In the book, it was Philip, who followed his father’s footsteps and became a journalist, whom Ellie contacted in her search for the identity of Boot.
In this segment of this blog, I’ll tell you the big plot twist: Book Anthony was Rory’s cranky library boss!
“It’s a strange thing, to spend your days among other people’s stories. I feel as if my own has been on hold.” -Anthony O’Hare (Book)
I was saddened to read that Boot lost his passion for writing. It’s like after the fire he had with Jennifer, it ultimately burnt out when they couldn’t be together. And it explains why he became a librarian instead.
“For decades now I have lived only through other people’s words; I reorder them, archive them, duplicate and rank them…I suspect I have long forgotten my own…” -Anthony O’Hare (Book)
Now that I said my peace with the main characters and movie/book plot difference, I want to discuss the whole concept of the movie: cheating.
Some would say, no! It’s about love! To that I say, yes but there’s a big “BUT” it’s still C-H-E-A-T-I-N-G. What I dislike is that the story glamorizes it! Cheating is always wrong whichever way you look at it. Regardless if you are in a loveless marriage or you simply found a hotter soulmate material, there is always a choice to make.
Jennifer in plain context cheated on Larry. Larry having an affair after that does not make it, he often guilt trips Jennifer and cozying up with his younger secretary (So original Jojo Moyes)
Rory (Nabhaan Rizwan) summed it out quite nicely:
“ Rubbish- you make a choice. Everyone makes a choice.” Rory McCallan (Book)
It is so true! Ellie knew that John was married and she was blind sighted of the consequences that might arise from such an act. Rory spoke from experience! Ellie could have said no to John and she could have said no to Rory (Read book for more context).
But I can empathize that when it comes to love, the lines between right and wrong are often obscured and decisions relating to marriage, especially when it’s abusive, are always complicated.
“But there is no absolution for people like us. You may well find that guilt plays a much larger part in your future life than you would like. They say passion burns for a reason, and when it comes to affairs, it’s not only the protagonists who are hurt.” Jennifer Stirling (Book)
Before concluding this blog, I want to share with you the reason why Jennifer kept the P.O box 13 open after so long which broke my heart:
” …but we had missed each other twice, you see, both times by a matter of hours, I felt it was my obligation to give it every chance. I suppose shutting down that box would have been admitting it was finally over.”- Jennifer Stirling (Book)
It was a good thing too! For:
Love transcends time and knows no age.- Ellie
Movie Jennifer contradicted this sentiment and was more apprehensive in meeting Boots again. She thinks that they were too old and their hearts too weak to take any more heartaches.
The past can be intoxicating. It can draw you in, create the illusion that things were better. You were happier, or experience were richer back then. It can also debilitate you, leaving you stuck in your memories of pain, heartbreak and disappointment. Holding you back from even attempting another shot of happiness- Ellie Haworth (movie)
The movie ends where Ellie gave a dramatic apology to Rory via phone call and they make up with a kiss under the rain.
Boot and Jennifer held hands and thought of the “what if’s” as Ellie and Rory watched from a distance. What if the car crash didn’t happen? What if she reached the train station just in time? The last scene showed the younger version of Boot and Jennifer boarding the training to a new beginning.
Compared to the book, Ellie went to see Rory in his flat after seeing Boot and Jennifer’s reunion. She slipped her article “Dear John: Fifty Years of Love’s Last Letters” and went on her way. But Rory stopped her by teasing that she misspelled his name (It’s R-u-a-r-i-d-h). Ellie said that she wanted to straightforward and apologies to him because:
“...writing is perilous, as you can’t always guarantee your words will be read in the spirit in which they are written.” Ellie Haworth
I thought Rory wasn’t ready to forgive Ellie yet because instead of addressing Ellie’s apologies he changed the topic and said that Anthony came to visit him yesterday and observed that the old man was different. He ended the conversation by saying that would invite her in if he could but he was packing. Ellie was disappointed and afraid of the rejection but she finally asked if Rory would write to her because she missed him. Somehow this thaws Rory and he invites Ellie in so she can make him coffee. He jokingly adds that she should check his visa for more misspellings.
Regret is useless in life. It’s the past. All we have is now. Marlon Brando
Have you read the book or watched the movies? Which did you prefer?
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