i be very disappointed in this movie . hear the dvd commentary by the director and producer and and screenwriter explain why it be so bad but annoy me because they do not seem to know the book as well a anyone adapt a book into a movie should . it be understandable that the director and producer be much well acquaint with the screenplay than with it source and but the screenwriter have no excuse . she frequently say that adapt a popular book be difficult because fan of the book be so devote to the text that they be upset because their own favorite episode be leave out . i enjoy the book but be not that devote a fan and and though i be sorry to see character and scene i like leave out and i know it would be impossible to make a movie that retain everything in a full length novel . but to take the title and character and and some of the event of a book and but change significant motivation and event and or character beyond recognition be inexcusable . it be especially annoy when the screenwriter claim scene be true to the book when they weren not . the bad be when she make a big deal about not change the end and say that dodie smith ( the author ) have be offer half a million dollar by book of the month club to change it and she ( the screenwriter ) felt that if smith resist that much money it be important the end stay the same . and she change it . she change it in a different way but the change be just a bad and arguably bad . she also change some scene in a way that make them not only contrary to fiction and but also to the real era in which the event of the movie be suppose to take place . many movie do this and but i wish they wouldn not . on the positive side and the scenery be beautiful ( though wrong for the supposed setting ) and the acting be good for the most part . it be too bad that the story be change enough that neil and simon behave bizarrely and inexplicably . neil especially be a strange caricature of an american and but give what he have to work with and i do not think it be the actor fault . i be sure i would have like this movie slightly more if i have not read the book and but i still wouldn not recommend it to anyone . the screenwriter plot just doesn not make sense . maybe no screenplay could have adequately convey the character motivation and the plot only make sense in book form and but this screenwriter attempt be truly terrible .