jlove006 Reviews

The Secret Life of Amy Bensen (2022– )

Awful.

[1/10 · 30 July 2023]

Passionflix has this problem with every movie. The book doesn't always translate well to screen; you need a adapt it and make sure it flows. Don't get me wrong. I appreciate the book being followed, but it's followed to such a T that the movie suffers.

Add that to bad acting and bad chemistry and these movies are just awful to watch.

To start, Amy's constant look of confusion. She doesn't look scared or stressed. She just looks confused, like she doesn't know her script so someone is reading it back in her ear and she has to pause and concentrate to speak. I read the books, so I know what the actress was trying for. It just fell flat.

Liam is almost comical in his intense, in your face, whisper-talking. What's worse is the actor looks like he just got back from a week bender and forgot how to emote so he just speaks the required line robotically.

Both actors are just blah. They had no chemistry and not a lot of facial expressions to make the lines they speak anything but cringy. It is legit painful to watch.

Roped (2020)

Sooo cheesy

[3/10 · 26 February 2022]

Cloyingly sweet. I found myself rolling my eyes on more than one occasion. Lot line was kinda dumb. However, it's pretty spot on with how prejudice works.

Seduction & Snacks (2021)

Better the the book in some places.

[7/10 · 30 October 2021]

This was cute. I appreciated that the characters weren't as abrasive as they were in the book. It got obnoxious after a while. The casting wasn't completely perfect, but I loved India as Liz. She's a great actress and endeared Liz more to me then in the book. I didn't care for the added drama, but overall the move flowed well and ended well. Great job Passionflix.

Wicked (2021)

Okay..

[5/10 · 28 May 2021]

I have mixed feelings about this. I've ready the books, and I think this is another movie by Passionflix that your average person would be missing things if they hadn't.

I was really.. put off by how the movie flew right into action with no real information on the characters. The acting by Anna and Liam was okay, but again, because they just flew into "like" with each other and we didn't get to see any general interaction between them until after they had hooked up, it felt forced. But as relaxed/natural as later on in the movie.

I also felt this way about the introduction to Tink. Either the acting is terrible there, (as it was with a lot of the secondary characters) or too forced in the beginning. To rehearsed or like I was listening to him read off a promter.

There are things I appreciate about Passionflix in that they never sway from the heart of the book. But also, sometimes I feel like word for word script doesn't always translate well to film. They need to add to help the book transition well.

I'm not good with words, I just know that so much Iike the beginning of a book is about catching the readers attention and wanting them to read more. A movie is about the same, but also not being confusing or ridiculous to the point where the watcher wants to turn it off. This was close for me on a couple of occasions.

Virgin River (2019– )

If you've read the books, you'll be very disappointed.

[1/10 · 10 December 2019]

I know most book to movie/show adaptations are not spot on, nor do I expect them to be. But this one is so far off it's turned me off the show.

First off I was very hopeful, I liked Mel, and grumpy Doc. Everything seemed to be going well until hope sent Mel walking to Jacks and I saw just how large and busy Jacks bar was. This is supposed to be a small 600 person town with NO CELL SERVICE.

In the book: Mel is intent to get tight out of town to go to Colorado and live her sister. But the baby stops her.

In the show: But the baby doesn't come right away and Mel intent to STAY instead of GO, is sent to stay at the grabby husbands house, instead of staying at Docs because Doc is more than grumpy, he's a downright bad.

When the baby does come, Mel names the baby Chloe because of a dead sister instead of because her and her husband had planned to name their daughter that. Why would you need to change that?! Then the town hates her because she wants to call CPS, when Doc is supposed to be the one that "does" that.

In the book: This town loves Mel. That is a reason she struggles with wanting to leave. She becomes fast friends with Connie and several others.

In the show: Paige and Christopher are already there and running a breakfast truck?! This doesn't happen until book 2! And what breakfast truck?!

And Preacher is not the sweet but rarely spoken and slightly scary cook. Preacher is one of my favorite characters! None of this makes any sense. I'm only on the 2nd episode. Good grief.

I stopped watching when Mel asks Jack about his parents and he says he's close with his mom but he doesn't get along with his dad!!!

In the book: Jacks mom is no longer alive, but Sam Sheridan is a force and a very important character we hear from often as holidays and visits occur on the regular.

My mind is blown that they have done such a disservice to these books. I'm surprised Robyn Carr has allowed them to pick apart her stories how they have. I'm sad and I'm done watching at only episode 4.

After (I) (2019)

I almost liked the movie better than the book.

[10/10 · 13 April 2019]

Of course I read this book and am halfway into the second. I had trouble getting info the book, Tessa is frustrating to say the least and Hardin's bipolar rage is hard to keep up with, let along like. But as the book goes on, you find yourself seeing redeeming qualities.

What the movie showed, was a Hardin I liked from the beginning. I did miss some of the love hate relationship they have, as it keeps us from seeing that passion they so clearly have. But the movie doesn't lack for chemistry between the characters. I love the extra scenes they added, like the library and the letter at the end. I liked seeing more of the love, and less of the fighting that drive me nuts in the book. I'm a sap I guess.

I love the actors that were chosen for Tessa and Hardin, as they didn't fit my initial view, they blew me away in the end. The others, not so much lol. I do find myself hoping for a second movie.