Monday, May 9, 2011

Something Borrowed, Something Fabulous!

It’s always tricky when they make one of your favorite books into a movie. You’re ecstatic at the prospect, and hope the filmmakers do it justice. Still, in the back of your mind, maybe you think of adaptations of other books that didn’t turn out so great – the casting was wrong, or the writers missed the point, or the emotion of the piece just didn’t translate onto the screen. If you read last Thursday's blog entry, you know that I was pretty excited about the release of Something Borrowed, the new movie based on the novel by the fantastic Emily Giffin. One of my favorite books since its publication six years ago, I was thrilled that the trailer looked great, the actors seemed spot on, and best of all, the author had given the film her firm stamp of approval. This movie had to be wonderful – and as it turned out, it was even better than I expected.



Something Borrowed tells the story of Rachel, a lawyer who has played it safe her whole life – until she sleeps with her best friend’s fiancé on the night of her thirtieth birthday. Sound like something you’ve seen before? It’s not. Something Borrowed is not about one incident, but about the multi-dimensional characters involved, their complicated emotions, and their even more complicated relationships with one another. The movie shows that not every scenario is black and white – cheaters are not always villains, cheatees are not always victims, and loyalties are not always so easily decided.

And, if you’re a girl of a certain age, it also shows the importance of a really awesome Salt-n-Pepa routine.

For fans of the novel, this movie is the perfect adaptation. The changes that were made from page to screen (such as John Krasinski’s character, Ethan, being mostly present rather than mostly over the phone) are necessary to the film’s action, and more importantly, the movie fully captures the true spirit of the book.

The real success of Something Borrowed lies in its casting. Ginnifer Goodwin is a delight as the conflicted Rachel, and Kate Hudson strikes the perfect balance as best friend Darcy, managing to be both self-absorbed and endearing at the same time. The ensemble hits the comedic trifecta with John Krasinski as the always-ready-with-a-one-liner Ethan, Ashley Williams as the hilarious and heartsick Claire, and Steve Howey as the slimy yet goofy Marcus. And for those of us who fell head over heels for the center of the love triangle in the book (guilty!!!!), Colin Egglesfield does what I thought no actor could really, truly do – he embodies Dex perfectly.


Dreamboat alert!

As magnificent as Something Borrowed was, it would not be complete without its follow-up, Something Blue, so if you’re a fan of the book who didn’t make it to the movies this weekend, or if you just love a good romantic comedy with heart (who doesn’t?!), do yourself -- and Emily Giffin fans everywhere – a favor by going to see this movie. It has to do well in order for the sequel to begin production, and as anyone who has read Something Blue can tell you, that’s a story that can’t afford to be missed. So what are you waiting for? Call everyone you know, get down to the theater, and see Something Borrowed! And if you’ve seen it already – see it again! Trust me, it will be worth it.

And Dex Thaler fans everywhere will thank you.



1 comment:

  1. I cannot wait to see it!!! Your review makes me want to see it at LEAST 5 times IN THE MOVIES :)

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