I'll start this post with the requisite SPOILER ALERT for those of you who haven't seen this weekend's weepy cancer-centric Jodi Picoult adaptation. Read the full post.
Jun 27
2009
02:46 PM ET
'My Sister's Keeper': About that ending...
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I haven’t seen the movie but I didn’t like the ending of the book. I felt that the ending of the book was very abritrary and the explanation has a “ghost in the machine” feel. If the movie ending is more organic, then I applaud the change.
I meant “god in the machine”.
I think it’s ridiculous to change the ending of a perfectly good novel. That ending meant so much to me, and just like what the author said, to change that ending is to change the message the film conveys. I love the cast, the performance, everything, save for that ending. I was very disappointed and left the theater mad and frustrated instead. It’s the same thing that happened with The Notebook. I understand changing things a bit or leaving out characters to fit the film, but to completely change the ending? Why bother adapting a novel then? And now, another one of my favorite novel is going to be shown in theaters, The Time-Traveler’s Wife, and I’m scared to see it.
**SPOILER ALERT***
Evolution, in the book Anna is granted the medical emancipation and right before she’s about to reveal whether she’ll do a transplant or not she gets in a car accident and becomes brain dead. So the attorney gives the ok on the transplant and Kate survives.
Praise God the director decided to change the movie’s ending. Can we all agree that this world needs more awareness of CHILDHOOD CANCER? The facts are that 7 kids die EVERY DAY of this wretched disease; 47 more are diagnosed each day… the sad reality is that we are so consumed in other cancer researches and leave our precious children behind. I’m glad this movie brought truth to the hard reality that no one wants to see… CHILDHOOD CANCER IS REAL, AND KIDS ARE DYING! WHen Kate dies, the movie potrays the hard reality of what so many people are living. I’m sure that the majority of the people who watched this film didn’t even get so many TRUE details of childhood cancer. For instance, the childrens ports for medicine administration, the gold ribbon pins worn at her funeral, “AML” and “APL” types of leukemia and countless others. I recommend that everyone who thinks this movie was just another “movie motivated to make an audience cry for 2 hours” to count your blessings. Maybe the inention was to spread awareness of childhood cancer!
Well let’s not forget that the director, Nick Cassavetes, also changed the ending to The Notebook, upsetting fans like myself and eliminating the possibility of adapting the novel’s sequel, The Wedding. As much as the change upset me, I still loved the movie and I hope it will be the same with My Sister’s Keeper.
“Now, screenwriter Jeremy Leven wouldn’t be the only scriptwriter who has taken royalties with book adaptations.”
“Royalties”?
I think you meant to write “taken liberties with book adaptations.”
EW thank your for telling me this I was going to go see this moive. I LOVED this book it was amazing, but by not killing that one character off it ruins the whole point of this book. This is NOT a happy book its about love and loss and family. Total FAIL. EW you just saved me 20 bucks.
I just came from seeing the movie and enjoyed it, though I’ve never read the book. Now I’m curious to read it after seeing what really happens!
To whoever just said they’re scared to see The Time Traveler’s Wife film adaptation, I’m right there with you…
I ABSOLUTELY hated the book’s ending and am glad they changed it!!!
I saw the movie on opening night and was extraordinarily disappointed with the ending. A fan of the novel for years, I was thrilled with the faithfulness of the adaptation, and subsequently appalled at the switchup ending. I, too, left the theater angry and frustrated, as did my mother and my niece, whom I’d taken to see the adaptation of a novel we all loved. I sincerely hope that there is some chance that the intended ending was filmed and at least makes it to the DVD release.
When I heard that this story was being filmed, I wondered what was going to be done about the ending. I understand that the author received a lot of negative comments on it. I have to add my voice to those who say that the ending of the book was a complete cop out. I was so angry at it that I never wanted to read another book by the author. I felt that it completely dodged the issue at hand by having an unforseen circumstance completely change the direction of the story. The ethical questions raised were never answered. They didn’t need to be. But if the ending was the author’s intention, why change it? I always wonder why filmmakers feel the need to change a book they paid good money for. Why bother to film it in the first place?
The end of the book was shocking but I hated the change in the movie. It was an awful decision. Also hated seeing so little of Alec Baldwin. The Osterman weekend by Robert Ludlum was the absolute worst adaptation I have ever seen. He should have sued.
I saw the movie last night, and while I thought it was well done, I too had a problem with the ending. First of all,even if you prefer the movie’s ending, it still doesn’t make it right that they took someone’s work and completely bastardized it. If you’re going to make a movie out of a book, it is not fair to change the ending, which is a huge part of it, and the culmination of everything she wrote. Secondly, I loved the book’s ending – sure, it may seem out of nowhere, but that’s kind of the point. Life is short, and unpredictable. Sara spent her whole life trying to protect Kara from death and all it really takes is one random moment for it all to end. That’s the point, and with the book’s ending, it proves it. It’s beautiful and poignant and completely disappointing that Cassavetes disregarded it.
I loved the book. If you want to change the ending, just come up with your own ORIGINAL story and make that a movie. I think the book’s ending, although it is sad, is a reflection of life. Things don’t always happen the way we want them to. I haven’t seen the movie. I am afraid that Cameron Diaz won’t be good enough for the role. Can you play one of Jodi’s super-mom characters if you have no children of your own? I also just finished reading Handle With Care. Another great book from Jodi Picoult.
Although it’s already been said by Francesca, the part that felt most egregious about the adaptation was the shift in focus from Anna & Campbell (in the book) to Kate & Sara (in the film). A total under-utilization of Alec Baldwin and Abigail Breslin. I had seen Cameron Diaz on the Tonight Show Monday night, and expected that the ending was different from what she said about the film. I enjoyed the movie, but would have enjoyed it more had I not read the superior book. Thanks for giving us Jodi Picoult’s thoughts on the adaptation as well! Like others, I’m really looking forward to The Time Traveler’s Wife, and hope it is more faithful to the book than Her Sister’s Keeper was.