MovieChat Forums > Another Day in Paradise (1999) Discussion > Someone please read this

Someone please read this

posted 19 years ago by mitranijoe
10 replies | jump to latest

I really feel that Larry Clark ruined this movie. If any of you read the book and than saw the movie you would know that he made Eddie Little, The author and basically the why this book was written. Eddie Little made this book as a semi-biographical. Larry Clark changed the movie for some stupid reason and personally I just think it was for *shock*. Bobby's gf never died beacuse of an OD. She died from child birth. She wanted to have the baby. She was going to get clean. That was the point of the movie. Redemption no matter what. Bobby and Mel were like father and son. Never did they want to kill each other. There is alot missing from this film and that was redone. It made everything seem darker when the point to me of the book was to show not the usual junkie-con life. At the end of the book they find some kind of salvation. The movie to me was a disgrace. The book is one of my favorites and I think Larry Clark ruined the movie horribly.

Eddie Little
1955-2003
Amazing Author and Amazing Person

[–] drm_skr 17 years ago

I compleatly agree! I must say though if you ever have read the book you will be incrdibally dissapointed in the movie. Espeacially what they do about the charecter of Mel. In the book not only does he truly care about bobbie but he actually dies protecting/saving him. Sid is the one that turns out to be the real cold hard one of the two. I also hate what they did with the Reverand James Cook and was sad they left out Brother Brown and Billy Bones! :-(((
Also the Hollywoodization of the kid being 16 instead of 14 and his girlfriend becoming white and his own age rather then older and a working hooker! All this talk about Larry Clark being hardcore please! This book is like one of those harsh gritty cop novels except from the point of view of a criminal. The description of true harsh violence from the opening paragraph and right away you know you're in the hands of a guy who's been there rather then learning *beep* through T.V. and "research". This guy was one of my favorite writers and it broke my heart when he died! :'-(

[–] zuma666 17 years ago

I'll have to look for the book now. I had no idea it was a novel, I rented it to get another side of Larry Clark. It was quite a bit tamer then I expected, but an enjoyable ride nonetheless. I hate when movies alter the characters too though. Perhaps some of it was done at the studio's request?

[–] miss_mandy909 17 years ago

You know, for such a fan of Eddie Little, you sure do like to mangle his characters' names.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] miss_mandy909 17 years ago

Learn to read, Larry Clark didn't write the screenplay, Christopher Landon and Steven Chin did.

Also Rosie was never going to get clean and she didn't die from childbirth. She died from doing too many drugs and having too many STD's. She may have wanted the kid, but she sure as hell wasn't going to stop doing drugs. That's the whole moral of the story, that despite your best intentions, drugs will take you down.

And what is this about them finding salvation at the end of the book? What the *beep* were you reading? Everyone dies and Bobbie goes to prison! I think that's a lot darker than Bobbie cutting himself off from Mel and Syd and running off into the sunset for what is presumably a better existence.

To me, the book and the movie are two separate stories, each good in their own way.

Also, if you're such a fan of the book, you should be able to spell Bobbie's name right.

[–] clayzar 17 years ago

I'm a big fan of the film...... never read the book but I can say that adaptations are rarely spot on from book to screen. However, I do understand the original poster's disappointment.

[–] Isaac5855 16 years ago

Well I guess it's a good thing I didn't read the book, it would have ruined the movie for me.

[–] Overmarz87 15 years ago

Have you ever thought that the hopeful ending for bobby represents Eddie Little's escape from such a world of horror. That's the way I like to view it even if it's not true.

These are some movies of mine. Enjoy!
http://www.youtube.com/lanser87

[–] clayzar 15 years ago

Hey Otiscat, Thats a good take on the ending. I never thought of it that way but it makes sense.

"Once you've played Woodstock on acid..... nothing is a big deal". Carlos Santana

[–] 15 years ago

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