The Kite Runner

[peg]

Has anyone seen the film version of The Kite Runner? If so, how does it compare with the book?

[Nada]

I have read the book and seen the movie which is a pretty faithful adaptation of the book. This was probably one of the rarest times when the movie surpasses the book. I'm probably the only one who did not enjoy reading the book. Though the story itself was fine, I felt that the book was too episodic. The pauses, the shifts between the different stages of the characters' lives, and the chapter breaks felt too predictable and convinient, like the commercial breaks in a made for TV movie on the lifetime television for women channel. I think the movie brought all the different themes and elements of the story together marvelously, and I found myself engaged with the characters on the screen more so than I was in the book. The kite flying scenes are beautiful as they transport the viewer to soar high in the sky with them, and the performances by the child actors as well as the protagonist's father are wonderful. It's worth seeing.

[Jackie]

Stunning!! In light of the drama surrounding the young actors in the movie (social and physical danger for having appeared in a movie where a character is "raped"), I was amazed by the children's acting ability. There is one major deletion in the book--which is when Hassan's son attempts suicide in the bathtub near the end. I think that the scriptwriters made a thoughtful choice to replace that with a running away scene which causes Ahmad to end up at a mosque in prayer after having unsuccessfully pursued his new "son." Moving and EXTREMELY well cast. Wow!!

Some of the scenes were ripped from my own visual images as I had read the book, it was eerie. For instance, the scene where Ahmad fights Hassan's tormentor to gain rights to his son was JUST as I imagined it!! Creepy!