Anyone else a fan? If you haven't read it, I highly you encourage you to do so. It is a well written, first person narrative of a teenage boy's sexual awakening in the 1970's. This book was on my list of: "If I ever won the lotto I'd produce it myself", I even wrote a script outline. I am so glad they are making this. I hope they honor the source material.
So far, the most significant change is to the location- from Southern California to Mississippi.
I encourage you from time to time, and always in a respectful manner, to question my logic.
Also unlike the book's setting in the '70s, Ian-Patrik Polk's screenplay updates the story to present day Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Polk's hometown.
I just saw it Sunday night at the San Francisco Int'l LGBT Film Festival in a packed house at the Castro Theater. The film is beautiful. Go see it.
This was (is) a good book. Be aware that the movie doesn't follow it very closely. In addition to moving it from Lancaster, CA, to Hattiesburg, MS, it changes the names and races of many characters. It deletes the ESP-girl character entirely, adds a missing-sister plot, completely changes the characters of both the father and the mother (especially the Mo'nique role), and significantly changes several other plot elements. The movie also fails to explain the title, which is quite clear in the book (the boy models his life on the Beatles Blackbird song; I guess they couldn't get the rights).
shareThank you for the information. I'll adjust my expectations accordingly. It sounds like this could stand for another adaptation.
share