Review of A Monster Calls (2016) by Irim S — 27 Dec 2016

So I'm going to say it: 'A Monster Calls' was one of the absolute worst book to film adaptations it has ever been my misfortune to watch. It was so bad, I nearly walked out after half an hour, but I was willing it to get better. The worst part is that the screenplay was by the author - proof that writing a good book doesn't mean you can write a good screenplay.

Perhaps I hate it so much because I just read the book today, and its nuanced, textured, vibrant narrative brought the characters and story to life in a way that made me scream, laugh, hold my breath, and cry. The book *blew me away*, and so I was really looking forward to the movie, not least because I thought the author had protected the story.

Instead, he gutted it. The book's narrative is spare and quick moving anyway, it's unclear why the film couldn't be faithful to it instead of relying on cheap emotional tricks: dad taking Conor to the amusement park; telling Conor how he and his mother fell in love - rather than allowing the relationship to be fraught; a huggy moment with Grandma; Grandma watching DVDs of 5 yo Conor; the schmaltzy epilogue.

Even worse was how character development and relationships were gutted: cutting out his best (female) friend since he was 5; not taking the time to create relationships between Conor and Mum, Mum and Grandmum - Conor's overhearing conversations gave us information without shoving it in our faces. Every frame felt disconnected from the one before it or after it; it never flowed. Of course, that spilled into the portrayal of and relationship with Monster - which was far more antagonistic in the film than in the book.

Monster is of Earth, he is implacable, solid. He doesn't stomp, he doesn't yell, and he doesn't hang a child over the edge of a cliff to make that child tell the truth. He simply asks again with his immeasurable power in his voice. He is that He is. Of all the exchanges between characters, the ones between Conor and Monster needed to be absolutely faithful to the dialogue in the book...instead far too much was simplified, edited, or altered.

What was clear was that all this shit was done to make the pain bearable, because we can't be trusted with the darkness. That is why, when Conor spoke the truth, he was not overwhelmed by the fire that consumes and then cleanses; it was also why the movie didn't end when the book did but had a schmaltzy little epilogue. It would have done us far more good if, as 'Son of Saul' or, to be more age appropriate, 'Deathly Hallows' did, it had trusted us to bear the darkness and the pain.