Not such a fan

[evilgeniuslady]

I really don't want to appear negative and honestly loved Gerard's portrayal of Gerry Clarke, but.... I have to admit this movie didn't quite win me over as I was hoping it would.

I think it's because I'd read the book first so I'd already imagined the characters and what they were like, beforehand. Gerard was the only one for me who did the character any justice. I felt that they'd got everyone else wrong, especially Daniel's character.

Please tell me I'm not the only one. However if I am I'll crawl to my corner quietly.

BTW, I thought I would start a separate thread because I wasn't sure it belonged in the "I love this move", thread.

[GBPhanatic]

I really don't want to appear negative and honestly loved Gerard's portrayal of Gerry Clarke, but.... I have to admit this movie didn't quite win me over as I was hoping it would.

I think it's because I'd read the book first so I'd already imagined the characters and what they were like, beforehand. Gerard was the only one for me who did the character any justice. I felt that they'd got everyone else wrong, especially Daniel's character.

Please tell me I'm not the only one. However if I am I'll crawl to my corner quietly.

BTW, I thought I would start a separate thread because I wasn't sure it belonged in the "I love this move", thread.

Sorry, darlin', but who is "Gerry Clarke'?

Delene

[MareksLadyD]

Gerry Clarke was the character's name in the book. Kennedy was Holly's name, but not Gerry's. The movie version has Kennedy as BOTH of their last names

[GBPhanatic]

There's a book?

Delene

[lovetheeloquence]

Don't you mean Gerry Kennedy?

We can't all agree on everything, right? I had heard from someone else that it was hard to see the movie after reading the book. That isn't uncommon.

I love PSILY, but it makes me so sad that I have a hard time watching it too often. I do so love the parts with Gerard Butler, though, especially the walk on the road. In fact, when I do watch the movie I go back to watch either the "walk" scene, the pub scene with GJB and Hillary, or the beginning scene again after the movie is over so that I can get cheered back up!

And, although I really like Harry Conick, Jr., I just did not like him in this movie at all. I am not sure why not, but I didn't.

There is a sweet interview of Gerry talking about making this film on Youtube, though. One of my favorite interviews of his. He talks about using his "Gerry Juice." If I can find it I will post it!

[MareksLadyD]

Yes a very beloved one actually. by Cecelia Ahern. Many things were changed from book to movie as per usual. Gerry's name being only one thing. Another is that the entire thing is set in Ireland as Holly is also Irish. Edited January 4, 2010 by MareksLadyD

[jojo23]

I watched the movie before I read the book, which for me, was a better way round to do it. I love both the book and the movie even though they are quite different.

I much preferred the character of Holly in the book than to the movie, she seemed a lot more relaxed. I suppose sometimes its easier to develop a character fully in a novel than in a 2hr movie.

[evilgeniuslady]

Yeah, Gerry Clarke is the character in the book. And also (in the book) Holly actually kept her maiden name even after they were married. She has a huge family, who you really grow to love as much as the main characters when you read them. Cecelia Ahern is one of my favourite Authors and has a talent for making you feel like you know each one of her characters personally. That's why when I read the book, I bawled my eyes out.

And yeah you're right, we don't all have to agree, I wasn't expecting anyone to reply to be honest, I just wondered if anyone felt the same as I did. But its really great if you all love it. I do own it on DVD to add to my Gerry collection.

My favourites scenes in the film though -- even though I wasn't keen on it -- were similar to lovetheeloquence's

The walk in Ireland. The bit where he sings to her in the pub. I love that song.

Plus, the whole thing with Billy Gallagher. His character wasn't in the book either but I'm a huge fan of Jeffrey Dean Morgan too, and I thought he was great.

[300_LawAbidingCitizens]

Oh geez I didn't know the movie was based on the book. I'll have to look up more on that.

~Ray

[Rubee815]

If they wanted to be totally faithful to the book they would have done a TV mini-series instead, more time to tell the story. But neither Gerry nor Hilary would have been in it under those circumstances. It would have ended up on Lifetime cable TV with a couple of lesser known actors and I would not have tumbled into Gerryland. It was his Gerry that pushed me into GB fandom.

[GBPhanatic]

The last book I read that became a movie was The DaVinci Code and it's a good thing because it really helped me understand the movie!

I will have to read the book sometime though. I enjoyed Harry Connick Jr.'s part. I loved his "syndrome". I think Jeffrey Dean is a nice looking man but so not a replacement for Gerry for me. They should have had Gerry's twin brother, Terry, who was given away at birth and when Holly went back to visit, he was seen in the pub and around town and she thought she was seeing a ghost and come to find out he was there in town trying to locate his biological parents and never knew he had a twin brother named Gerry nor a sister in law named Holly and when she tries to tell everybody she's seen Gerry in some places around town, they think she's loosing her mind and then she goes walking on that roadside and Terry is there walking along that very day and just so happens to run in to Holly but he's actually a priest, sworn to celebacy. Whew!

Delene

[ladyfran]

Now I like that idea Dee!

Frannie

[nyjoanie]

Me likey that too!

Joanie

[phoenixgirl]

The last book I read that became a movie was The DaVinci Code and it's a good thing because it really helped me understand the movie!

I will have to read the book sometime though. I enjoyed Harry Connick Jr.'s part. I loved his "syndrome". I think Jeffrey Dean is a nice looking man but so not a replacement for Gerry for me. They should have had Gerry's twin brother, Terry, who was given away at birth and when Holly went back to visit, he was seen in the pub and around town and she thought she was seeing a ghost and come to find out he was there in town trying to locate his biological parents and never knew he had a twin brother named Gerry nor a sister in law named Holly and when she tries to tell everybody she's seen Gerry in some places around town, they think she's loosing her mind and then she goes walking on that roadside and Terry is there walking along that very day and just so happens to run in to Holly but he's actually a priest, sworn to celebacy. Whew!

Delene

[terezoulini]

There is a sweet interview of Gerry talking about making this film on Youtube, though. One of my favorite interviews of his. He talks about using his "Gerry Juice." If I can find it I will post it!

I don't remember if the "Gerry Juice" is in these links but they are great for those new to the film, wonder why this "making of" was not included in the DVD:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RuFMzWE4-E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6vJUc9AvTps...feature=related

Enjoy!

Theresa

[Rubee815]

As much as I like Jeffery Dean Morgan, I thought that story line was a bit creepy; she accidently sleeps with her late husband’s best friend. Uh, no. I thought JDM might have been better in the role Harry Connick Jr. played. Part of my problem with the movie was there were too many subplots that detracted from the main story. Maybe if they had consolidated one of the girl friends with the little sister, shown more flashbacks of Holly & Gerry’s life. I don’t know, there were times I thought the New York part of the story seemed to be copying Sex and the City.

I did like ending though; it made sense to me that she wouldn’t end up with anyone, but the possibility of love was out there.

[Lady Ski Bum]

I read the book and then saw the movie - both were wonderful. Obviously the book has more detail and there are some differences but if I was the author of the book I would be thrilled with the movie that was inspired by the book, and the fact that the movie also made the book a bestseller.

Edited January 5, 2010 by Lady Ski Bum

[mommaduck]

Hey, Delene--you are gonna write up a fun and crazy story with your PSILY idea, right!! Would

be so much fun!!

I had read the book, and new in advance there were a lot of changes in the movie, so I went with

no expectations. Therefore, I was able to enjoy the movie and really didn't spend any time

comparing it to the book. Very sad story, at times, but love the movie. I do tend to watch all

Gerry's scenes, I love the karaoke scenes as well. At the hospital when he "puckers up" to

kiss Holly--gets me every time. Well, have to admit, Gerry Kennedy really "got to me."

Judy

[milol]

I loved Gerry in P.S.I Love You...This was the movie I found him and then backtracked all of his other movies and interviews. I don't think the movie would have been the same without him. I still watch the DVD with just the parts that he is in. He was just so sweet in this - I think alot of him in this - Linda

[Aussie_Stace]

My best friend in Ireland sent me the book to read (along with Cecelia's other book "Where Rainbows End") I became an instant fan of her work. Not long after I read the book that I found out it was being turned into a movie & lo & behold the Phantom was going to play the character of Gerry!! My bestie is one of the people who can't watch the movie (such a piy)

Edited January 5, 2010 by Aussie_Stace

[AngelofMusic]

I read the book like a really long time ago, like a while before I saw the movie in theaters. I really loved it, and its funny because even before I knew Gerry was going to be in the movie, I had pictured the character Gerry resembling our Gerry a lot. The book is excellent, when I read it, I cried my eyes out and it really was one of the most moving stories I had read in a while. I am always very critical about screen adaptations to books I enjoy, so needless to say I was feeling the same way about this. I still really enjoyed the movie though despite all the changes made. I wish they had kept it set in Ireland, that was the changed that I disliked the most.

Edited January 5, 2010 by AngelofMusic

[heISmyGspot]

EG, I'm one of the few people that HATES this movie, so your thread title intrigued me. I don't WANT to hate it, I've got more than enough reasons to love it: 1. Gerry 2. Filmed in Ireland (I swear I lived there in a past life - it feeds my soul) 3. One of my besties, GerryNutSnap, who lives in Ireland was an extra in the "Galway Girl" scene 4. I'm from New Orleans and have been a fan of Harry Connick, Jr. since he was playing piano in college dive bars (we're about the same age).

My husband flew me to see this movie with another bestie, TheBlonde, on 12/21/07. Big Mike was thinking: a weekend alone with gals, watching Gerry's first mainstream "romantic comedy" ... he was guaranteed Gerry-juice-induced noogie when I returned.

WRONG! WRONG! WRONG!

It took me a whole day and an extra dosage of Zoloft just to recover from this horribly mis-categorized film. Romantic comedy my large, lily-white arse! Unless, of course, you're of the mindset that no matter what you do or where you search you'll never be "happy" and life is just one big journey of trial and painful errors. If that's this case, then this movie is a rip-roaring-riot of laughs!

Many will say, "Oh, but there's such a lovely message of 'hope' in this movie." I don't get that - AT ALL. To me the movie says, "Don't bother trying. Even if you think you're on to something, you're really not. Just breathe in and out until you die -- hopefully the end will come sooner than later."

And I won't even start with my complaints over the terrible directing and/or editing that denied us a proper snog scene.

I can't watch this one with the sound off. (I've tried). It's emotional kryptonite to me. It leaves me f*cked up EVERY time. It's not worth it. This movie violates my emotions so deeply that I get enraged just thinking about it.

[Paisleyscot]

Yah but Holly tell us what you really think!

You crack me up!

Cheryl

[phoenixgirl]

Holly, I have to agree with you on very much of your post. While I don't "hate" PSILY, I can't watch it very often. I feel like it's a constant reminder of how alone I am, and it makes me feel like I'll always be alone. I've found that when I turn it off after the Irish road scene it's not so bad when I don't have to listen to Holly's mom's speech in the park. That just about kills me every time. It usually puts me down for about three days.

Gerry is fabulous in it, and I love watching his scenes. He looks incredibly beautiful in the role, and while I get weepy when he kisses Holly I can handle it now.

My reaction to the movie has nothing to do with Gerry dying. It's all about the mom and how she is a constant reminder that I might just end up being alone forever since my husband chose to leave me. Fook that.

There's just not enough in the movie to hide that "message". Hilary Swank was just okay; Harry Connick, Jr. was underused; JDM does nothing for me. Gerry Kennedy is a wonderful, romantic, sexy and loving character, the perfect husband. But that's not enough for me to watch it too many times.

Edited January 5, 2010 by phoenixgirl

[discoveringme]

I find myself laughing and crying, often at the same time, throughout this movie so it definitely takes a toll on me. There are so many parts that I just love, though, that I usually just make sure I have kleenex near at end when I watch it.

I bought the book right before the movie came out but decided not to read it until after I'd seen it a couple of times. I've been disappointed many other times when a book I dearly love is made into a movie. Only in rare cases does a movie ever come close to the way I feel about a book so I'm better off not trying to compare them. I can completely understand why, if someone loved the book, they might be disappointed in the changes.