Running with Kites

I had the fantastic luck to score tickets to an advanced screening for the movie of the Kite Runner last night! (Librarians have connections.) The movie was originally scheduled to open in November, but has been pushed back to December 14th because of safety concerns for the actors. I had to schlep all the way downtown to see it, but it was well worth the hassle. I was hesitant to see it, simply because movies based on books are usually such a let down. But this was not the case here. The movie stays true to the book, leaving out only one major scene that I remember. The scenery, music and acting were fantastic. The little boy who plays Hassan is sooo cute and I loved watching the children fly the kites. The movie also did a great job of creating the same strong emotions I felt when I read the book. The scenes of the Taliban-ruled Afghanistan are quite disturbing. It was interesting to me that scenes I found particularly difficult to read, were not as bad to watch (maybe because I was prepared). And scenes that didn't affect me much in the book, really choked me up in the theater. Fans of the book should be pleased. If you haven't read the book, pick up a copy and get reading! Then go see the film in December.