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Films for Thoughts on Thursday: Love, Rosie


This is a weekly meme that I am hosting here at Reviews from a Bookworm. To take part all you have to do is share a movie review once a week, link back to Reviews from a Bookworm and add your link to the linky tool.


This weeks movie review will be for:


Love, Rosie

I posted my review for Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern yesterday, and it's fair to say that it was less than glowing. I didn't enjoy the book at all and didn't really see why so many people think it's a romantic story. I couldn't really find even two positive things to comment on about it, I'm not even sure I found one. The book was something I wanted to pick up and throw out my window, never to be seen again. But, and it's an important but, I still wanted to see the movie despite how much I hated the book. The movie looked like it had a lot of potential, it felt like it could be another Maze Runner for me. The books are huge disappointments, but they change so much for the movie adaptation that it actually makes a brilliant film. Thankfully that was the case with Love, Rosie.

I'm not about to tell you that if you go see it that you're going to be watching some amazing piece of cinema. You're not. It's a light, fluffy, romantic comedy and delivers what you'd expect from that genre. It's helped along greatly by great casting, Sam Claflin and Lily Collins are brilliant leads for this film. It doesn't have the greatest script, but the humour that they add to the role really makes it work better. It's as predictable as any romcom, we all know how it's going to end before we even get there. It's the journey that they'll take to get there that will matter.

The story follows Rosie and Alex, who've been best friends since they were children, as they reach their late teens and the lines between friendship and romance get a little blurred. Thanks to drunken blackouts and poor timing, they can never seem to take their relationship past friendship. As they get older and their lives pull them in different directions, you begin to wonder if they'll ever be able to get it together and tell each other how they feel.

I'd already read in advance that they had shortened the time span. The characters go from young children to their 50s in the book, in this it only spans twelve years of their lives. That is what the book should have been like, so I'm very grateful for that change in the movie. It wouldn't have worked well on screen anyway, what with the actors needing to age as the characters do. They only age twelve years in this and even then they don't look as old as they should. Whoever wrote the screenplay should be applauded for the fact that they recognised what needed to be changed. The time span had to be shortened and the characters couldn't be so useless.

One of the things I was most happy with was the fact they made both characters much more likeable. I felt a lot of sympathy for Alex in the movie, something I never once felt when reading the book. Most of the time I just wanted to reach inside the book and slap him. And Rosie seemed like less of a pushover in the film then she did in the book. You still get frustrated with the characters and their inability to tell each other how they really feel. But it's not as infuriating as it is in the book. The shorter time span means that we don't have to sit through sham marriage after sham marriage, unplanned pregnancy after unplanned pregnancy and near miss after near miss. I also want to comment on Jaime Winstone as Ruby because she did a beyond amazing job. She was my favourite character by a mile and was responsible for most of the funny moments.


6/10 Butterflies

I'm definitely not going to say that Love, Rosie is some amazing piece of cinema. It isn't. It's a chick flick and it delivers what I would have expected from a chick flick. It's romantic and cheesy, sometimes to the point where I was cringing behind my hands. It has those hilariously funny moments that had me spitting my drink out as I tried not to choke. It had the near misses and the frustration. It had the ending we were all expecting. It had everything I needed and it entertained me. Not an amazing movie but an enjoyable one, and one I'd probably watch again. I'd recommend if you're looking for a light, funny comedy with superb lead actors. 


Book Blogger Problems #2: Co-Blogging or Going Solo?
Exquisite Captive by Heather Demetrios
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

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Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker
Book Blogger Problems #3: Hardback vs Paperback
Love, Rosie by Cecelia Ahern

20 comments:

  1. I waited and caught Love Rosie right in the week where I was in desperate need for a chick flick and it pleased me so much. You're right--it wasn't some fantastic cinematic work but it was a great romcom. What I will say is, the director must have been a Copola fan because the sun glares were going strong. I had to squint a couple of times throughout the movie hahaha Fantastic review, Charnell! x <3

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    1. So much sun glare, I noticed that a lot more when trying to find gifs to go with the post. I really enjoyed the film, so much more than the book. It was exactly what I needed at the time, a light and enjoyable romcom.

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  2. Aww, this sounds like a lovely film! I always need some a cheesy rom-com and this sounds just like it, and I think I'm slowly falling in love with Sam Claflin, whoops! No seriously, those gifs, the fact that you were all calm and content writing this, it shows, yay for nice fluffy film :D

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    1. It's okay, I'm totally in love with Sam Claflin too. It's him as Finnick that really gets me! I don't know how to deal with Mockingjay Part 2! I DON'T KNOW HOW!

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  3. The trailer looked superb so I went to see this the moment it came out and was sooo happy. Like you said, amazing actors and great lines, not to mention a story that made me cry a little bit (;
    I probably wouldn't like the book- seriously? 50? Took them that long?
    Great review!
    Esty @ Boarding with Books

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    1. I really enjoyed the film, although the wait to see them together got to me so much. I just wanted them to be together! Yup, 50 whole years! It was so frustrating.

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  4. I do like a good chick flick at times as well, especially for having a funny time with my friends at a sleepover. This looks like it will make the perfect movie for this! I have never head of Sam Claflin before, but I know Lily Collins and can't wait to see another movie with her in it ^^ Just looking at the gifs alone make it look like a funny and sweet movie. Can't wait to try it out ^^ Nice review!

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    1. It's definitely a cute and sweet story, perfect for a sleepover film with friends. I did enjoy it and especially loved the funny moments. Lily Collins and Sam Claflin are both so good in this.

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  5. I know it seems silly but I love these type of reads just like I do books, they are a great and fun escape just when you need them. ;)

    Happy Thanksgiving!!

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    1. It was a cute film and an easy way to spend my evening. And ten times better than the book, which helps.

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  6. In a way, I'm glad it surpassed the book. And I'm glad it changed so many things. My friend ADORES the book, but I read a few parts and was just a bit 'blah' about the whole thing. I think the whole dragging time span was a bit part of why I disliked what I read, so hearing that was shortened makes me smile so bad :D

    I love Lily Collins, so I'm excited for a good old chick flick with her in it!

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    1. It's so much better than the book. Shortening the time span was something that they had to do, it wouldn't have worked otherwise. Lily Collins is so good in this, she provides a lot of comic relief.

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  7. It sounds cute and I like Lily Collins so I'm sure I'll see this one at some point. Glad it was better than the book! ~Pam

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    1. It was so much better, I was shocked by how much better it was.

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  8. Great haul! I love the Lux books :)

    Love Rosie sounds really interesting and it's not too often we come across a movie that was better than the book.

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  9. I've never even heard of this book or movie. I'm not a total fan of chick flicks. Maybe I'll check this one out. Thanks for sharing!

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  10. Well I'm definitely happy that you at least enjoyed the movie a lot more than the book.
    I'm not a huge fan of Collins. But Claflin is a favourite. So maybe because of him I'll keep this movie on my radar for when I want a decent chick flick. For a rainy day...
    Great review!
    Happy reading!
    Brittany @ This is the Story of My(Reading) Life

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    1. I liked Collins in this because she provided a lot of the funny moments, which I needed. It's a light, fun and cute chick flick. It's definitely perfect for a rainy day.

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