See The Movie, Then Enjoy Story By Reading The Book
No matter how many times it happens, it’s always a surprise when a good book is ruined by a movie director.
Take “The Prince of Tides,” for example. Pat Conroy’s thoughtful prose became, in Barbra Streisand’s hands, little more than a vehicle for her to do love scenes with Nick Nolte.
There are exceptions, of course. The two first “Godfather” films, for example, are vast improvements on the pulp novel that inspired them. Same with “Jaws.” Other good adaptations, if not outright improvements, include “Silence of the Lambs” and “The Unbearable Lightness of Being.”
“Nobody’s Fool” falls somewhere in between.
Robert Benton’s film version of Richard Russo’s novel is concerned mainly with Sully, the town maverick, tavern-dweller, aging construction worker, failed father and faithful friend. As portrayed by Paul Newman, the character was worth an Oscar nomination.
Otherwise, though, there’s not much to the script. Briefly, the story involves Sully attempting to get by on work handed out to him by the town’s chief construction boss (Bruce Willis), while flirting with the boss’ wife (Melanie Griffith) and attempting to be a grandfather to the son of the son he ran away from years before.
Russo’s book, however, can’t help but be a deeper, more thoughtful treatment of the same story. Sully is still key, of course, but he is set up against each of the other characters, each of whom is given a larger part of the plot pie.
So my suggestion is to find a copy of the book for the complete story. Then rent the film to enjoy Newman’s performance (as well as that of the late Jessica Tandy). For both the movie and the book explore the theme of redemption, and no one fleshes out material like that better than Newman.*** Rated R
Outbreak ***
In a juxtaposition of two action genres - the medical mystery and the government conspiracy thriller - this Wolfgang Petersen film offers up more than its share of exciting sequences. The plot: a killer virus, which kills within 24 hours all who contract it, has been set loose in the United States and a joint military/civilian medical-research team must pinpoint its cause, then find a cure, before it wipes out the whole nation. Much of what occurs is formulaic, from the subplot of love-hate ex-marrieds (played well by Dustin Hoffman and Rene Russo) to the perfectionist sidekick who can’t quite practice what he preaches (Kevin Spacey). And don’t forget the duplicitously ruthless military man (Donald Sutherland). But director Petersen (“Das Boot”) keeps things moving well enough much of the way, his camera occasionally giving us an airborne virus’ point of view. And, of course, it is always good to see an actor of Hoffman’s reputation bringing his Oscar abilities to B-level projects. Rated R
Man of the House *
Things have sunk to a new low when your feature films are less entertaining than a Doritos commercial. In his latest effort to maintain a career, Chevy Chase plays a man trying to win over the possessive son of the woman (Farrah Fawcett) he wants to marry. False in virtually every respect, this film would have profited from a better script - and perhaps some nacho-cheese flavoring. Rated PG
Billy Madison *
Adam Sandler, who was passably good in the lame comedy “Airheads,” demonstrates a virtually complete lack of comic appeal in this mess of a movie. He stars as a lazy guy who, to inherit a fortune, decides to attend school all over again. Rated PG-13
, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: What’s new to view Available this weekend: “Man of the House” (Disney), “Nobody’s Fool” (Paramount), “Billy Madison” (MCA/ Universal), “Outbreak” (Warner), “Twisted Love” (New Home). Available on Tuesday: “Tall Tale” (Disney), “Heavyweights” (Disney), “Circle of Friends” (HBO), “Top Dog” (IVE), “Tank Girl” (MGM/UA), “Pebble and the Penguin” (MGM/UA), “The Langoliers” (Republic).