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I’ve read Ken Follett’s thrillers/WWII/spy books, but had never even heard of this book, which is his biggest seller.
A friend read the book, handed me her copy, and asked if I had read it, then said she thought I’d like it.
I set it aside until we were going out of town.
This is a massive book and in some sense reminds me of Clan of the Cave Bear, the first of Jean Auel’s books on prehistoric man (woman.) The time frames are completely different, but Follett opens up the time frame of 1123-1174 much the same way Auel opens up prehistory for us. Both novels are completely believable. I assume Follett did his research so the history I read is close to history as it was. I’m not a historian, I’m a reader, so I have no way of knowing how truthful his depiction is. It seems truthful to me.
The central story is the building of a cathedral by Tom Builder, a mason, who travels about looking for work, hoping to work on a cathedral. Along the way there are murders, intrigues, deaths, orphans, monasteries (and how men ended up in them), good and bad priests, lots of deal making behind the scenes, love, family…the hardships of life during this time…the assassination (by the boat sinking) of the heir to the throne, throwing the country into other alliances until King Henry is crowned. One of the last things in the book is the murder (and martyrdom) of Archbishop Thomas Beckett.
It makes me wish I’d paid attention to my history classes more.
As I said, the book is huge (973 pages in paperback) and covers a large span of time. I found parts of it difficult to read, so I skimmed those sections. I did my usual, jump around a bit to figure out where it is going, go back and read sections to fill in the gaps. I don’t know that I could read 973 pages any other way any longer. I don’t want to invest a lot of time in a story if I don’t know where it is headed.
It opens with the hanging of an innocent man, and the cursing of those responsible by a woman thought to be a witch. This becomes important in the story and is woven into the story line in several places.
How about you?
Have you read this book? Any of Follett’s books? or Jean Auel’s?
Do you read from beginning to end, or skim, or skip and go back?
My take
I felt transported into a different time. I don’t think I would have liked to have lived then, even knowing the history as we know now.
I’m not a particular fan of historical books, though at one time I read a large number of WWII novels, and earlier I read a number of novels that began in the 1800’s and moved the descendants into the 1900’s book by book. I know several friends who love to read historical romance, but this is not romance, this is living history as envisioned by a novelist.
Man’s injustice is a difficult read for me now. So I tend not to read these any longer (or the gory detective genre.) So for me to read this would have likely been near impossible had I not been away with some time on my hands, not because it is gory, though parts of it are, but because it is historical.
The characters are very well drawn and even if you are not a fan of this kind of book you will find yourself caring for them and rooting for their welfare. It is a harsh time to live in, where living by one’s wits is a necessity. Seeing the big picture is difficult when one is being manipulated without full knowledge as characters find themselves. Yes, this happens today, but with the amount of info readily available, I don’t know that these particular events would have been unknown to the parties unless action was taken immediately before info got out, which is, of course, how it took place in the book too, though their sense of immediate took more time than ours.
I’d like to give it a 5, because it is a good book, but I’ll go with a 3.
Here’s what Follett’s website says about the mini series that is being filmed about this book:
Filming of the eight-hour limited series of The Pillars of the Earth on location in Hungary and Austria started on 22 June 2009. Ian McShane (pictured), Donald Sutherland, Rufus Sewell, Matthew Macfadyen, Sarah Parish, Hayley Atwell, Eddie Redmayne and Gordon Pinsent headline the star-studded cast for the US$40-million adaptation.
The series is directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan (Heroes, Saving Grace, Into the West). Mimica-Gezzan worked as Steven Spielberg’s first assistant director on Saving Private Ryan and Schindler’s List, sharing the DGA directorial awards for both films with Spielberg.
The novel has been adapted by award-winning writer John Pielmeier (Emmy winner Hitler – The Rise of Evil and Emmy nominated The Memory Keeper’s Daughter), who will also play the role of ‘Cuthbert’.
Here’s the list of the actors and actresses playing the major parts:
Waleran: Ian McShane
Bartholomew: Donald Sutherland
Tom Builder: Rufus Sewell
Prior Philip: Matthew Macfadyen
Aliena: Hayley Atwell
Jack: Eddie Redmayne
The Archbishop: Gordon Pinsent
Ellen: Natalia Woerner
Remigius: Anatole Taubman
Cuthbert: John Pielmeier (also the series screenwriter)
Alfred: Liam Garrigan
William Hamleigh: David Oakes
Richard: Sam Claflin
Percy Hamleigh: Robert Bathurst
Walter: Goetz Otto
Francis: David Bark Jones
I will likely watch this miniseries — 8 hours! — to be immersed in the time. It makes me wish I’d paid more attention to The Lion in Winter, which begins fictitiously on Christmas 1183. I think I should see it again.
World without End is the sequel to this book, beginning in 1327, and concerns the descendants of the first book.
On the day after Halloween, in the year 1327, four children slip away from the cathedral city of Kingsbridge. They are a thief, a bully, a boy genius and a girl who wants to be a doctor. In the forest they see two men killed. Follett’s website
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Book Girl and I went to see Alice in Wonderland this morning. Neither of us particularly wanted to go, but we went anyway. We chose to see the non-3D version. I might go back and see the 3D version.
What a good time we had! I highly recommend it — and this is from someone who never enjoyed the books, though I might just have to revisit them.
Johnny Depp is perfect as the Mad Hatter — and he isn’t too over the top. Mia Wasikowska is equally perfect as Alice. Both carry a large portion of the film. Both are fun to watch.
Crispin Glover plays the Knave of Hearts, also perfectly.
Then you have Michael Sheen’s voice as the White Rabbit, and Alan Rickman as the Blue Caterpillar.
Who can forget Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen — as delightful a villain as you would care to meet — or Anne Hathaway as the White Queen. I couldn’t quite figure out if she were good or bad.
Tweedledee and Tweedledum added their own brand of humor.
Let’s talk specifics.
The makeup and costumes were wonderful.
The CGI was seamless, including the characters of the White Rabbit, the Dormouse, and the March Hare, all of whom were a delight to watch. And the dog Bayard was especially lovable.
What I liked the most
It’s very hard to single out what I liked the most. Because I had such low expectations, I really was surprised by how well I liked it. The comments coming out of the theater were all positive. The children were absolutely silent during the showing, no fidgeting or noise making. So it kept them entertained also.
I think I like how well all the characters played off each other. I loved the makeup and the costumes. And I loved the real/imaginary animals.
I loved the moral of the story, how it could be taken on several levels — just as a good yarn or something deeper.
It is not a dark show, even if the trailer looks dark. It is really quite a delight.
Have you seen the movie? If so, which version did you see?
Did you like it as much as we did? If you want to see something fun, don’t miss this one!
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I’m happy to share this online interview with Jane Porter. She was gracious to spend some time with us. I think you’ll agree that she is a voice we’d like to hear more of.
Jane, I so much enjoyed your book Flirting with 40, and I’m really looking forward to it being a movie! Thanks so much for joining us today.
I understand you have options on another book(s)? I have a friend who has had options also. It’s quite exciting to see it come to fruition on screen. Did you write the script or have any say in the script?
Hi Karin, thanks for inviting me! It’s a pleasure to chat with you. I didn’t write the script. Sony contracted a scriptwriter for the job and she did it beautifully. I was lucky enough to get a peek at it while it was in progress and it was really cool to be included, even briefly, in the process.
The whole book-to-movie experience is great. I spent a week on the set in Hawaii and had a lot of fun. I got to be an extra in beach scenes on two different days, and then wear a headset and sit behind the director and listen in as they filmed. I have to say that it’s been a bit surreal having a movie made of my book, especially starring Heather Locklear.
Were you able to give any input into the casting?
I was asked for suggestions so I got my readers who hang out on my board to help me. We had lots of fun coming up with possibilities but in the end, it was really up to the studio. I n the end it was great that Heather could take the role as she’s a Lifetime viewer favorite.
How did you find yourself writing in the genre that you write in? How did you become an author?
I wrote my first story in pre-school. I was four or five and I’ve written stories ever since. My father was a professor and he wrote-and my mother loved literature and was already reading to us-so writing seemed natural to me. I thought all kids sat down and made up stories, and growing up my favorite books featured girls who wrote as well like Jo from Little Women or Laura from the Little House on the Prairie.
I chose to write stories that appeal to women – that are about women and real life because it’s a topic that fascinates me the most. I love women. I think we women have to be compassionate towards each other, but also ourselves and being a teacher, I just found it easy to write stories that encourage and support each other.
What is your favorite type of romance to read? Is it the same as what you write?
I love historical and paranormal romances! I was on a Mary Balogh binge for a few months, and because I go on binges I’ll read as much as I can by a particular author and then rotate authors to get a new style. Some of my favorite authors this past year include JR Ward, Loretta Chase, Mary Balogh, and Anna Campbell. Outside romance I read everything I can by Marian Keyes, although Watermelon is probably still my favorite. One of my favorite books I’ve read this year is Seeing Me Naked by Liza Palmer. It’s wonderful and I highly recommend it.
I notice that you have a book title contest. That’s fun! Have you done this before? I often wondered whether it was the author that titles a book or the printing house.
They are fun! I’ve done them before and it’s always interesting to see what titles everyone comes up with for the same story. Unfortunately as an author, I don’t really have much say in the title but the publisher asks for input and that’s my purpose for hosting the title contest. I want ideas and suggestions and I send them all to my editor once they come in and after that, it’s out of my hands. Marketing has the final say on titles because they know exactly what has better chances o selling the book.
How do you decide character names?
Sometimes the names just pop into my head as I think of the story and I know it’s the right one. Other times, it takes some time and inventive research to find the right name to fit the right character.
What advice do you have for others who are interested in writing?
As with anything, don’t give up. Don’t accept defeat. Keep learning, keep applying what you learn about the craft, about the world, about you to the story. Writing is a muscle and requires muscle. Learning to write well takes time. It’s like hitting the gym to build a bicep. You only get a better, stronger muscle by working it. Well, the same is true for writing. Of course good writers make it look easier than it is so don’t be discouraged if you have to write and rewrite.
What are some challenges in writing romance? Any particular genre of romance more difficult to pull off? What kind of research do you do, if any? Is there anything you wish you’ve seen in a romance novel — and are you writing it for us?
I love writing romance and find it very rewarding as love really does make the world go round. I don’t know if one genre is harder than another to pull off. I’m fascinated by them all and enjoy researching for my Harlequin Presents. I tend to read lots of historical accounts, biographies, travel logues, travel books, cook books, and magazine articles when outlining and planning a new book. I want to know as much as I can about a country and culture and the conflicts between men and women in that culture. Obviously a sheikh from Dubai will have a different way on interacting with women than an American or an Italian. The climate is different in every country, as are the foods and customs and I don’t just want to write a ‘romance’, I want to write a rich layered fantasy that seduces the reader and the senses.
I prefer personally to read a more emotional, intense romance. I love deep conflict and angst and sensual love scenes but those love scenes must come out of the character’s emotion and conflict, not just stuck on top. Great writers are writing these books and I’m just lucky I’m able to read them!
Do you ever get writer’s block? If so, how do you handle it? What do you find difficult, if anything, about writing? And what do you like the best?
I don’t believe in writer’s block. I see difficulties in writing related more to craft or knowledge, or sometimes physical fatigue. Sometimes I make a mistake writing a story which leads me to a dead-end. I won’t know I’ve taken a wrong turn until I can’t seem to move the story forward, or if I’ve begun to make a series of wrong decisions. Then I just end up in a muddle and I won’t write for awhile until I figure out where I went wrong.
The most difficult part of writing for me is the time alone, and also the wear and tear on the body from sitting in one place so long and typing like mad for hours. I have to be sure to get lots of exercise when I’m writing hard as the days tend to be long and it’s easy to get carpal tunnel like symptons in my wrist and elbow.
Was it difficult to get published? How did you find your agent?
It was hard. Lots of hard work – but totally worth it. It took me fifteen years to sell my first book. I had over twelve rejected manuscripts before I finally sold my first book in January 2000. I actually write for two publishers–very different stuff–and since January 2000 I have written and sold 30 novels. It’s been an a lot of work but I’m living my dream. I’m read around the world. I’m published in over twenty-five countries and nineteen languages. I even have Sony and Lifetime making a movie out of one of my books (Flirting with Forty). This is why I didn’t quit. I wanted to see if I could do it. I wanted to know I could achieve it. I wanted to prove that anything is possible.
Do you work on deadlines now? How long does it usually take you to write a book?
Yes. I think every writer’s life revolves around deadlines. We just have to develop a system to handle them as works best for us.
I try to plan in advance as much as possible and then block out time. If I know I’m on deadline for a book, the last 4-6 weeks will be grueling with 10-18 hour days at the computer so before and after I block out dedicated mom time, time where I don’t need the sitter over, and I plan a fun trip or weekend activity with the boys. Same thing for my social life. Once I’ve been freed from my deadline, I try to catch up with girl friends and have coffees and lunch as when I’m writing hardcore I literally only leave my house to take kids to school and sport events. When the pressure is on me, everything falls away but work and kids.
What about bedroom scenes? What makes a good one? (I know I’ve been turned away from books where it was crude.)
These can be tricky and I can read things I can’t write, but I’m writing fewer love scenes than I used to. I think we all know what sex is and in a book where there isn’t a lot of emotion a love scene reminds me of a game of Twister–right hand on yellow dot, left foot on blue–so for me, the love scene must not just be about physical desire and physical pleasure but the emotional, psychological and spiritual connection between the two.
How do you define love?
Love validates the self. Love makes one feel important and valued and real. Which is why I like to write about all kinds of love in my books–not just romance, but love between friends, sisters, parents and children. Love really does make the world go round.
What do you hope your readers will gain from your books?
As I touched on above , I write about women, for women. If we want the world different for our daughters we have to be the ones to demand change and although I have boys not girls, I want the world different for all the little girls coming after me. I want to be strong, powerful, courageous and encourage children to be the same. We should teach our girls to be brave and encourage them to face discrimination and talk about what makes us hurt and what makes us hope and make sure that we’re part of the decision making. It’s important girls understand that life’s hard, sometimes very hard, but it’s also gorgeous and fascinating, challenging, rewarding and complex and that there will be times life is going to smack you and hurt you and knock you to your knees but you can get up. Falling down won’t break you. Falling down is just part of getting stronger and smarter and more compassionate. Falling and failing happen to all of us. And this is why I write. I want women to know what it’s taken my forty years to figure out–that life is only as good as you give, and you have to fight hard for what you want, including fighting for happiness. We all deserve love, joy, freedom, peace and respect. We all deserve the good stuff but the good stuff doesn’t just fall into our laps. We’re going to have to work for it.
What do you do to relax and get away from writing? I’m sure you find ideas all around you! Is there something that really gets you away from it all?
When not writing, I read, and travel. Love to travel, be with my kids, love new places and new experiences. I am always looking for a new adventure!
What are your hopes for the future?
More books, more time with friends, more travel, and hopefully, one more baby.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with us? When can we expect your next book?
I’m so glad you invited me to join you. This has been great fun. I always have lots of contests and conversations over on my website, www.janeporter.com, including info on my next book which is a July ‘09 release from 5 Spot. For the Harlequin fans, I’ll have another book out late in 2009 as well.
Thank you, Jane, for being here.
Jane has offered us a signed copy of Odd Mom Out, her September book which is the first of the two connected novels set in Bellevue. If you’d like to be included in this contest, leave a message here, and we will include you in this contest.
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I enjoyed watching the Oscars last night. Many of the presenters were cleverly funny. Robert Downey, Jr’s, aside about himself was wonderfully drole.
So many of the dresses were beautiful. I didn’t care for the big bow on Nicole Kidman, but the color was radiant.
Helen Mirren looked divine. Such a beautiful dress.
Naomi Watts was spectacular in that shade of yellow.
Reese Witherspoon’s dress looked black on camera, but in the paper’s picture this morning it looked the deep purple that it was.
No big fashion faux pax that I saw like the swan from a few year’s back or the ballerina…but Meryl Streep could take better advantage of herself, and Celine Dion, with her divine voice, needs a fashion consultant.
I’d like to see the jewelry in more detail. Up close and personal would be fun. It would mean that I was there…
Will Smith’s son is too adorable for words.
Some of the men were stunning, as always.
Jack N looked like he was becoming Marlon Brando in his later years. He was good natured, though, which is a little scary coming from Jack.
Peter O’Toole, poor man, I wish he’d won. Meantime, I hope he’s got a couple more powerhouse performances still to give us.
The skit with Jack Black’s was fun. I didn’t know he could belt a song out.
I thought it was funny when Ellen passed her supposed script to Scorsese…and later when Clint Eastwood told her he was expecting a copy of her script too.
There are always some surprises in the awards. It has to be disappointing not to win, but it should not eclipse the fact of being there.
Hmmmmm, come to think of it, I’d like to know what perfumes they were wearing.
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Recently I had the privilege to hear renowned pianist Brooks Aehron. If you ever get a chance to see him, you will have a good time, whether you like piano music particularly or not. He is quite a showman. He makes music fun!
One thing he asked the audience at one of his three concerts was: what is a pianist’s greatest fear? His answer was not forgetting the music, but the loss of a hand. Then he played an entire piece using just his left hand. You can imagine how difficult that is, especially if you are right handed.
This story of Hee Ah Lee takes it even farther. Born with serious birth defects, she has mastered piano with the use of only 4 fingers, some of which do not function as normal fingers. It makes many difficulties most of us might face seem very small in comparison.
It moved me to tears. I was also moved that her mother resisted family pressure to abandon her to adoption to Canada or the West. To her mother, Hee Ah Lee has always been beautiful and perfect.
She has given more than 200 concerts and loves to perform. If you watch the second video to the very end, you can see that she knows how to interact with the audience.
Here’s a short piece played by her:
And a longer story:
You can find other videos featuring her also.
The lesson here, to me, is find a way. If something seems impossible, yet our talents are leading us to do it, find a way.
There is a unique way for each of us to accomplish most anything, if we truly desire it, work toward it, and have our own vision that we keep in sight. It also helps to surround ourselves with others who will help forward our vision or even lead us to it. Eliminate naysayers! Work towards the end we are trying to achieve.
The world needs our music, whether we are playing music or living the music of our lives. Each of us is needed.
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Last night College Girl, her friend, and I went to see Hot Fuzz. It’s gotten very good reviews.
It started off slow, then picked up steam, and never stopped gaining steam as it raced to a power house ending.
It was so slow and cerebral in the beginning, while simultaneously covering a lot of ground, that I wondered where it was heading.
Never fear, it begins to move so fast, you are caught up in the main character’s frustrations, fears and head space in trying to figure out the increasing death count. It had many twists and turns.
The basic premise is a parody of police movies. The main character, Angel, is shipped out of London because he is so good at what he does that he makes the other officers look bad. He ends up being shipped to a perfect, little sleepy town, a la Stepford. Underneath that calm is evil ‘for the greater good.’
Figuring out whodunit…and watching the body count increase, including a scene where he realizes how big the death count really is…while trying to maintain his own sense of self (knowing, as we do, that his predecessor is now mentally ill — ya think he might have figured some of it out too?)
The relationship that develops between the main character and one of the other policemen, his partner, is very well done.
The blood and gore is both bloody and in some cases funny. Heads literally roll, but those heads while resembling the characers who have been beheaded look more like manniquin heads.
We liked the movie. Might even buy it. Her friend (male) loved it. He says it’s the same cast all over again that did the parody of zombies (“Shaun Of The Dead”.)
It is also interesting to see a film where no one is beautiful. They are all odd, crooked teeth, just odd. Well, maybe we could leave Timothy Dalton out of that. And the blonde…who has a distracting laugh, which makes her odd — and a target.
Angel pretty much cleans out the whole town, while never killing anyone, which I thought was brilliant in itself. He packs some pretty mean guns, in a parody of every Die Hard or Clint Eastwood movie.
And Cate Blanchette, in an uncredited part, plays the part of Angel’s ex-girlfriend, in a scene where she is completely covered in forensic protective gear.
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If you loved Harry Potter, be sure not to miss Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief.
Book Girl and I went to the midnight showing last night, crazy people that we are. The medium sized theater was about 2/3 full.
But you can bet that the second movie, for there will surely be one, will pack in more than one theater in each complex.
First, I just really couldn’t get into the book(s). I read them. But couldn’t have told you what they were about. Then, I listened to parts of the audio books as Book Girl wended her way through all of them.
Ah, but the movie is a different sort. Immediately understandable. Highly entertaining. Great CGI. My only caveat is that the fight training scenes looked amateurish, which may have been the whole point.
The background
The author wrote these books to help his own son understand the gods. His son is both ADHD and dyslectic. So is Percy Jackson.
The story
Percy finds himself in the middle of a coming war between Zeus and Poseidon unless he can return Zeus’ lightening bolt, which he has been accused of stealing.
Not only did he not steal it, but he has no idea that he is a demi-god — the son of Poseidon and his human mother.
Three friends
Once again, we have three friends, similar to Harry Potter. Percy, Annabeth, and Grover play are older. Together they survive and conquer.
Special effects
The CGI will have you on the edge of your seat more than once.
The characters
Assorted gods, demi-gods, centaurs, satyrs, and humans, etc.
The actors
Pierce Brosnan plays a prominent part. I won’t give it away.
Brandon T. Jackson is Grover, Percy Jackson’s bodyguard. He adds a lot of humor to the story. In a way, he reminds me of the taxi driver in Total Recall.
Alexandra Daddario (Annabeth) plays a much more likable character than Kate in White Collar, USA Network’s television series that we love. She is the daughter of Athena and is also a demi-god.
Logan Lerman is perfect as Percy Jackson. I don’t know him from any other work.
Jake Abel is Luke and will feature in other films. He is the son of Hermes, and is also a demi-god.
Rosario Dawson plays Persephone. She is key to Percy’s survival.
And don’t forget Ulma Thuman as Medusa — she makes the part. And there is some comedy in it too.
My take
Definitely 4 out of 4 star.
I think I’d like to read the books now that I’ve seen the movie.
Some of the special effects might be too scary for young children on the big screen. OTOH, no one has seen creatures like these, so we don’t expect them in a dark alley — though I was watching the lights coming home at 2 am.
It’s definitely interesting to think that not so very long ago these gods and goddesses were believed and feared. I was wondering who thought of them in the first place, how did they evolve into a religion at the time.
I’ve been to Greece and seen what is left of the temples and thought of what they might have been like when brand new and people believed.
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Book Girl and I went to see this one the other day. I thought I was going to another movie — Letters to Juliet! But When in Rome is one we thought we’d like to see from the previews, and the other one will be coming out soon, so we will see that one then. I did feel silly, however, to wrap my head around seeing a different movie than I expected!
When in Rome is a cute fantasy movie. Beth (Kristen Bell) is a workaholic, a young curator at the Guggenheim, working for Celeste (Anjelica Huston who plays her with delight.) Unlucky in love, she heads to Rome for her sister’s (Alexis Dziena) (who plays her usual dipsy part) whirlwind wedding. While there, she meets Nick (Josh Duhamel) and when it looks like her hopes for this possible relationship are dashed, she takes coins from the fountain, instead of tossing a coin to wish for love.
You can imagine the fun when the men who tossed the coins begin to pursue her aggressively. One is Danny DaVito, who is the only one who can deliver the lines he is given. Another is Jon Header (Napoleon Dynamite) — he gets more handsome by the day — who plays his part hilariously. Dax Shepard plays a ripped model, hilariously, in love with himself, now in love with her. Then there is the painter…
It takes her a while to realize they have been hit by a love spell because of the coins she took. Half the fun is how she is going to get out of it.
The cast includes a lot of all-stars. In addition to those mentioned, Don Johnson plays her father. Peggy Lipton is Priscilla. Even Shaq turns up.
Our theater was fairly full. There was a woman behind us with an infectious laugh. She belongs in a soundtrack. It was as much fun listening to her enjoy the movie, as it was for us to enjoy it.
There is one twist I didn’t see until the very end. It adds some fun too.
Have you seen this movie?
I give it 2.5 or 3 stars. It’s not Shakespeare, but it sure is fun. If you want to have a lot of laughs, suspend reality, and just have a good time, this is a movie to more than while away some time with.
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We took our 11 yo daughter to see this movie tonight. It was very well done. The main characters (and even the peripheral ones) are well cast.
I would characterize the movie as bittersweet. It has some serious issues depicted in it.
I had not read the book before we went. I had seen the previews. My 11 yo said her teacher told the class the spoiler from the book, if it were in the movie (and it is.) She told me what it was about 10 mins before it occurred in the movie. I was just as glad for the heads up, as I prefer to know than not know. If I had known ahead of time, I’m not sure I would have gone or taken her, but I’m just as glad we did. It has received good reviews.
I suppose our 9 yo could have seen the movie, but I’m just as glad she had other plans.
I’d be interested in knowing if you have taken younger children to see this movie, or if you have seen it yourself, if you think you could take a younger child, and if so, what age. And, have you read the book? I’m guessing the movie will become a classic, especially for older kids.
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I saw this movie today, and it was surprisingly funny. I hadn’t particularly wanted to go, but I was glad I did.
The entire audience laughed a lot. There were only a few really dumb things, and one character I could have written out, but the main character is so delightful and watchable and innocently kind that she is a pleasure to watch. And she holds many lessons.
There are a couple of questionable things for very young children and some bad language, but not a lot. My girls would love it, at 10 and 12. I think they can handle it.
Shelley (Anna Farris is charming in the part and makes the movie) is living the life of her dreams at the Playboy Mansion. She feels the mansion has given her the home she never had before. (The movie begins with a short montage of her early childhood spent in an orphanage, until she finally found acceptance and a sense of family. This is not dwelt upon, but you might need to be aware of it.)
Hugh Hefner plays himself in several cameos in the movie. It’s good to see his health has improved. I hadn’t realized he was in it.
When Hugh goes off for a time, immediately after Shelley’s 27th birthday party, she is presented with a letter from him giving her 2 hours to leave the premises as she is now ‘too old.’ 27 is now evidently 59 in Bunny years.
How she finds herself the housemother of what likely began as Zeta (Zeta Tau Alpha) but morphed into a close cousin in name, is part of the poignancy and fun. The girls in the house need to pledge 30 girls in order not to lose their charter. How she turns them into a viable sorority is a delight.
There is a typical sorority bitch that has shown up in several movies. (And there is a Bunny bitch too.) In a way this movie is like a female version of Sydney White, but we liked it better. (The theater rated it 3 out of 5.)
It’s easy to imagine Elle Woods living this life. (Colin Hanks plays her love interest.)
She’s definitely a likeable bimbo, and you can’t help but root for her. Many scenes touched my heart.
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is one of our favorite movies and favorite songs:
