This film has undoubtedly some qualities in it, but it's a big disappointment for any reader of Didier Van Cauwelaert's magical novel "L'éducation d'une fée", which I really can recommend heartily to anyone. The tone of the novel and the film are completely different. JL Cuerda has decided to make a sentimental movie out of a surprisingly original and witty written material.
I don't know what has led JL Cuerda to change some items in the script that to me seem a loss compared to the book (the nature and possible evolution of Ingrid's problem, the nationality and past life of Zesar, among others). And the biggest loss of all is not allowing more place in the film for Nicolas' job as the (now idle) creator of such wonderful and unusual games as "Je crée le monde" ("I create the world"), which we glimpse as childish pictures in the introducing credits and which explains much of his inclination towards the creation of an ideal life for his step-son, fairies included. The whole character of Nicolas is difficult to understand if his attraction towards dabbling with imaginary worlds is suppressed. If you just watched the movie, have a try at the novel (translated- at least- into Spanish, Italian, German ("Solange du mich liebst")). You'll be delighted and you'll find yourselves transported into a completely different universe.
Much of the originality and the mystery of Ingrid's decision to quit Nicolas is also missing and leading to an excess of gooey, tearful scenes that are also a betrayal to the much wittier, drier tone of the novel. I see in the credits that Mr Cauwelaert co-writed the script with Cuerda, but I wonder if there wasn't some linguistic misunderstanding in this cooperation.
On the other hand, the character of Zesar is in my opinion the only improvement compared to the novel, as the chapters that revolve about her were for me the novel's main flaw. Bebe's playing was surprising and nuanced, and I enjoyed it very much. I could visualize her drama much better in the movie.
The beautiful landscape of Cataluña is a new element that, as a lover of that area, I enjoyed very much. The novel is set in France.
A good subject for any compared literature student dealing with screen adaptations of novels: how to radically change the genre, while keeping the same tale.
I don't know what has led JL Cuerda to change some items in the script that to me seem a loss compared to the book (the nature and possible evolution of Ingrid's problem, the nationality and past life of Zesar, among others). And the biggest loss of all is not allowing more place in the film for Nicolas' job as the (now idle) creator of such wonderful and unusual games as "Je crée le monde" ("I create the world"), which we glimpse as childish pictures in the introducing credits and which explains much of his inclination towards the creation of an ideal life for his step-son, fairies included. The whole character of Nicolas is difficult to understand if his attraction towards dabbling with imaginary worlds is suppressed. If you just watched the movie, have a try at the novel (translated- at least- into Spanish, Italian, German ("Solange du mich liebst")). You'll be delighted and you'll find yourselves transported into a completely different universe.
Much of the originality and the mystery of Ingrid's decision to quit Nicolas is also missing and leading to an excess of gooey, tearful scenes that are also a betrayal to the much wittier, drier tone of the novel. I see in the credits that Mr Cauwelaert co-writed the script with Cuerda, but I wonder if there wasn't some linguistic misunderstanding in this cooperation.
On the other hand, the character of Zesar is in my opinion the only improvement compared to the novel, as the chapters that revolve about her were for me the novel's main flaw. Bebe's playing was surprising and nuanced, and I enjoyed it very much. I could visualize her drama much better in the movie.
The beautiful landscape of Cataluña is a new element that, as a lover of that area, I enjoyed very much. The novel is set in France.
A good subject for any compared literature student dealing with screen adaptations of novels: how to radically change the genre, while keeping the same tale.