Jodi Picoult (pronounced PEE-co) has been an international Bestseller for several years. Her books The Tenth Circle, The Pact and Plain Truth have all been turned into Lifetime Movies of the Week. My Sister's Keeper is the first effort to bring one of her stories to a wider audience as a feature film.
It is always difficult to adapt novels into movies. Characterizations and important scenes must be chopped down so that the audience can follow the story in less than 2 hours. Keeper suffered from some chopping, losing a lot of the characterization of Anna (Abigail Breslin)'s lawyer Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin). In addition, Judge De Salvo (Joan Cusack) 's character suffered from an excessive trimming as well. Her back story was illicited only after a little while, but there wasn't much to it.
My Sister's Keeper is Like the Book, But Not
Picoult's books, as a general rule, always take place in New Hampshire where the author resides. Apparently, it was more convenient for the film crew to make the movie in Los Angeles, so the film took place in California. Although this didn't ruin the film, it will be a shock to diehard Picoult fans.
Multiple Perspectives
The book is told from varying points of view, offering chapters narrated by different characters. Books usually must be told from one character or an omnicient point of view which can sometimes limit the various view points that can be offered. Films and plays are a medium that can be told from various view points quite easily, as simple dialogue or actions alert the audience as to what a particular character is feeling or thinking. In keeping with the book, the movie is narrated by all of the characters, a device which works well. However, at the beginning of the film, their names popped up next to them when they began to narrate as if they were in an episode of The Real World. The audience needed to be given a little credit. The story could be followed with multiple narrators without that.
Ending
If you've read the book, you will be surprised by the ending of the film. Towards the end of the movie, the script veers totally off course from the book into its own thing. While techniquely that is what an adaptation means, it was still jarring to to have a totally unexpected ending that was vastly different from the book's own "surprise" ending. The film ended in an altogether different place, although it did make some interesting ascertations about life and death.
The Verdict
This movie will hit close to home for anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one. Most people won't leave the film with a dry eye. Its worth it, if you're a die-hard Picoult fan, but the main plot of the film (Anna's medical emancipation) seems to get pushed to the wayside to focus on the effect of Kate (Sofia Vassilieva)'s cancer on the family. While heartwarming and tender, patrons definitely won't leave the theatre in an uplifted mood.
WHAT: My Sister's Keeper based on the acclaimed novel by Jodi Picoult
WHO: Directed by Nick Cassavetes. Starring Abigail Breslin, Cameron Diaz, Alec Baldwin, Joan Cusack, Sofia Vassilieva, Heather Wahlquist, Jason Patric and Evan Ellingson
WHERE: Theaters nationwide on June 26th
MPAA RATING: PG-13 for sensuality, language, disturbing images and teen drinking
RUNTIME: 109 minutes
