"My Sister's Keeper" - Examin(er)ation of book versus movie

Photo: Warner Bros Pictures

Obviously, there will be much discussion and spoilers ahead, so if you haven’t seen the movie or read the book, please look out!

So, if you go into that theater never having read the book, this movie overall… is pretty good.

Although, the thing that pushes the novel along are the circumstances of the characters. The “Is Kate going to die or isn’t she?” question, the “Is Anna going to relent and save her sister’s life, or do right by herself and condemn Kate to finally die?” question, and the “Do I agree with Anna’s choice, or not?” question all make the pages fly by, and you read it with a lump in your throat as you fall for these characters.

As I read, I was initially annoyed by the constant changing of first-person narratives (never having read a Jodi Piccoult book before) but I quickly grew fond of it. It was so interesting and satisfying to see the same situation through all those different pairs of eyes. I was also annoyed to have to listen to Campbell and Julia because I was so eager to get back to the Fitzgerald family, but then I found myself falling for them as well and I just couldn’t put the book down. Finally at three am, exhausted and dehydrated from the Niagara Falls that had been coming out of my eyes (and nose), I reluctantly finished the book. And wound up staring at the wall for what seemed like another hour, just trying to process it all.

I was so struck by the book’s ending. I couldn’t find the meaning anywhere. Anna was destined to die for Kate from the very beginning, because she was created for that purpose alone? I couldn’t wrap my head around it. However, I never got the feeling that Kate was definitely going to die from the beginning of the novel. It wasn’t one of those, you-know-where-this-is-headed type of book. I could feel how she was sitting right on the edge of death, fighting her damndest to hang in there, and how everyone in the family just waited, holding their breath to see if she’d make it. I guess because the author never intended for her to actually die, I didn’t suspect it, I didn’t get the feeling that she would. Or maybe that’s just me. When Anna meets her ultimate death in the accident, she’s at that intersection because Kate asked her to file the lawsuit, essentially. It’s as if neither sister had any power over fate.

The message of not being able to change your destiny is upheld in Nick Cassavetes film adaptation of the book. However, I must lament about the changed ending. When asked about it, Cassavetes said that he changed the ending to “The Notebook” and people forgave him, so they probably would this time. I would like to point out that changing the ending to “The Notebook” was miniscule compared to completely reversing the ending of “My Sister’s Keeper”. It even changes the meaning behind the title, for crying out loud. I really couldn’t get around hating the fact that from the very beginning of “My Sister’s Keeper” the movie, you felt that Kate was going to die. The doctor comes in and explains that basically, he’s sure she’s gone as far as she can. Further scenes only enforce this idea, and everyone but Sara prepares for Kate’s death. This is so different than the novel’s portrayal of her family still fighting for Kate’s life that it upsets me. Anna’s lawsuit seems… childishly redundant at this point, since it seems Kate’s doctor would never agree to put her through such a risky surgery. The impact from Anna finally admitting that Kate is the one who convinced her to file the lawsuit is not nearly as startling as it is in the book, or as well done. Having Sara berate her until Jesse interrupts and blurts it out while Anna is testifying is unsatisfying. I missed seeing Campbell’s confused expression as he asks Anna who convinced her to file this suit. Then Anna says quietly, “Kate” and the entire courtroom freezes. Campbell’s sudden drop to the ground is metaphorical and a visual for how everyone is feeling in this scene. Instead, in the film, it seems almost a distraction. It was unnecessary to change this from Campbell to Sara, and it really stuck out in my mind.

Not to mention, twice seeing Jesse just wandering around aimlessly, not setting fires or even really getting into trouble, but simply doing nothing! We waste time in this film watching Jesse meander around the streets while listening to a heartbreaking rendition of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. 

But the acting, oh that was superb. Abigail Breslin was fantastic. She always comes across as a truly great child actor, not strangely too mature for the role, but just right. She plays Anna with the innocence of a child thrust into a tough situation for which there is no answer. Jason Patric does well as Brian, and the scene of him and Anna in the firehouse is sweet and realistic. Joan Cusack evoked true emotions from me when she remembers her late daughter, but she also made me laugh.

Sofia Vassilieva is astounding, breathtakingly beautiful, and fully convinces you that she’s somehow prepared herself to die after a long battle with her disease. Cameron Diaz surprised me with her accurate portrayal, particularly in the scene where Kate tells her mother she’s dying and that it’s going to be alright. When Sara finally sees it, realizes it and the horror crosses her face, she crawls into her daughter’s arms to be comforted… and I bawled like a colicky infant.

But I will say, I was very disappointed to miss out on Julia Romano. Why Sara’s sister was given a bigger role and Julia Romano never even entered the screen, I’ll never know. Julia gave Campbell depth, and their point of view on the Fitzgerald’s situation was something I cherished. I missed her.

However, the inclusion of the Taylor Ambrose storyline was amazing and very well done. When he looks into her eyes and she tells him she’s relapsing, the expression on his face just killed me. I was hunched over the theatre seat, trying to be quiet while keeping the tears from running down my neck. The scene in which he comes to joke with her as she starts chemotherapy again, then swoops in to rescue her with the pink basin and wipes her face gently… I could barely breathe, it was so moving. Thomas Dekker did such a fantastic job as Taylor that I didn’t even recognize him as John Connor from “Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles” or Zach from “Heroes”! I even found myself hoping that these characters would find each other again after death as I wandered drearily out of the movie theater.

Overall, the tone of the film is much different. The entire thing is a farewell to Kate from the very beginning, and when Anna wins her lawsuit, it’s superfluous because Kate is already dead. The acting and the characters keep it alive, and it is still a story that will tug on your heart. If you’re looking for a good cry, this is definitely a movie to keep on the shelf. (I personally love to torture myself when I’ve got PMS, I pop out all the weepy chick flicks I’ve got and let it all out, hehe.)

To see the official movie site, click here:  http://www.mysisterskeepermovie.com/

Thank you so much for reading! If you’d like to follow me on Twitter (not that I go anywhere in particular), I am here: twitter.com/meganhorizon