i be thrill when i learn this book be be turn into a movie and but be dismay at the casting of the american brother . could they have choose two more boring actor . i doubt it . at least henry thomas can act and but he much and much too wimpy and lightweight for the romantic simon ( i weep for the wasted opportunity that would have be paul rudd in this role ) and marc blucas be a big and big zero here . he a terrible and stiff and unconvincing actor ( a he be on buffy and in nearly everything else he ever be in ) and impossible to swallow a the object of the flighty rise affection . still and romola garai and rise byrne be lovely a cassandra and rise and even though the central romance in the story be subvert by the performance of thomas and blucas . i be initially appal by the idea of bill nighy and especially tara fitzgerald a the girl parent and but both be quite good . it too bad one can not totally ignore the two male lead and just concentrate on the good actor and but a theyre central to the story and it impossible . a such and this be a lackluster film adaptation of a wonderful book .