I saw the movie first. Just read the book this month. Thrift store find. It's a movie I like and don't know why. I just do. Wordfest, college, book people - what's not to like?

Grady Tripp is a broken type author guy who does a lot of bad things but basically lands on his feet in typcal white guy fashion. He's pretty terrible. But the spiral is entertaining enough and the other characters make it worth it.

I always like seeing what's different or added or rearranged from book to movie and this was no different. There are always a lot of questions i have with the movies that are answered with the internal dialogue in the books. The book is always better:) Though this movie is a fav. We spend more time in the book with Emily's family at a seder and also James Leer's which helps fill out Grady's marriage and James's convoluted background that ate shortchanged in the movie. I hated to see the fake Vernon Hardapple didn't have a wife who wore the Marilyn Monroe coat in the book - i liked that change.

The ending was really kind to him, even if you look at it like he was run out of town. The avoiding responsibility and unpleasant reactions really should've ended with him alone and sad or facing charges, i think you could argue. But a hopeful ending is nice. I don't hate it because it makes you think maybe change is possible.