| Right then, hands up if you are studying Enduring Love for English Literature, or have studied it. I suppose that this would be the point where we all go see the movie and then comment on its comparison to the book. The only thing I will say concerning this is that if you are expecting a direct adaptation of the book, be disappointed. Then get over it. Now on to the film.
Enduring Love opens with a perfect day which is changed completely by a twist of events. I'll be brief and summarise it here: strange accident plus 'normal' man and 'crazy' man leads to obsession and weirdness. The film plays like a sort of fly-on-the-wall documentary. This can be quite unsettling, some parts make you feel like a stalker of some kind, lurking around in people's houses. There is a lot of dramatic music which can be annoying, as if announcing its status as a psychological thriller and dictating to you where you should be scared.
Having been quite negative, the film does have some great points. The acting, for one...I wasn't too sure about Daniel Craig playing Joe at first and wasn't too convinced by his descent into chain-smoking alcoholic, but he does a great job of showing a man starting to break down. Rhys Ifans is fantastic as Jed Parry, having the right sort of look to appear almost angelic, making you feel incredibly sorry for his character even at his worst moments. Certain scenes are also beautifully done. You can't help but admire the dream-like images that are presented in slow-motion, without it seeming tacky. Also, if you go to see this movie, have fun recognising areas of London. There is even a scene that was shot in the cafe on the Heath!
Overall, a decent film. It does seem to drag at some points, but the odd bits of humour and the twist at the end that literally makes people gasp out loud, even if you have read the book, make it worth enduring. Sorry about the pun.
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