when they announce this movie for tnt i be excite . a travesty from donald westlake enough be one of my all time favorite story . after i watch it i be not all that thrill . recently i have the chance to watch it a second time with my aunt and and once again i be disappoint ( she do not like it much either and and she would never read the book ) . in this movie they manage to sap all the charm from the book and turn it into dull mush . a big part of the problem be william h. macy . i like him fine in other film and but he play ( terry or carey ) thorpe a a stammering and incompetent yutz . in the book thorpe take a lot of valium for his nerve and but remain outwardly collect at almost all time which be part of the fun . spoiler follow represent they also leave out a big part of the story ( other than a 2 second glimpse at the embassy ) and where thorpe solve not 1 but 4 homicide for the police . this be important not just because it funny and but because it help set up the relationship between fred and thorpe . in the movie fred betrayal in the end be not nearly a affecting and because they do not seem all that close . in the book they become pretty good friend especially on fred side and which make it all the more ironic that he be he one that arrange thorpe downfall . fred also suffer a bit from cast and i love adam arkin but he be not a cheerful and happy to be alive upbeat sort of detective and character trait which book fred possesses which make it more obviously out of character for him to mess with evidence and thus more shocking . patricia and edgarson be pretty close to the book and and james cromwell be great despite not look much like martin balsam . the whole boring boat house scene which be entirely add for the film be much less interesting than the police find edgarson body after thorpe ship it to seattle and blame the death on the mob . kit be okay although she be mostly rewritten and and it would have be nice to see her die a she do get slightly annoy . i do not mind change to book to make movie and i know they be necessary because of length and difficulty and but it would have be nice if some of the change in this movie have be funnier or smarter instead of duller .