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Sunday, July 8, 2012

"Inspired by" vs. "Based on" ... movie vs. the book ...

Words have meaning!!   So I've now learned a major difference when it comes to movies that state "Inspired by" a true event vs. "Based on" a true event.  
I also knew that whenever you read a book then watch the movie the book is almost 100% better than the movie ever can be yet I often want to see the movie in order to see how someone else "saw" the book's story unfold for them.
What has brought on this post today?   So glad you asked!   Recently I had heard about a movie, perhaps you've heard about it or even watched it yourself?  It's called "The Vow"  basic story line is a married couple in a car accident & the wife ends up with TBI  (Traumatic Brain Injury) so she doesn't remember her husband.   He loves her enough to do what is "best for her" based on his vows to her at their wedding.
Sounds interesting.  ... well it did to me anyway ;)     I mean how difficult it must be to be living with someone you love so completely one day & then after an accident the love of your life has no memory of you at all ... you're a complete stranger to them.
Unfortunately many couples face this sort of "memory loss" without an accident spurring it on  when the brain is affected from dementia or worse from Alzheimer's Disease.   But in this case the point isn't about the common events that can steal your memory from you but rather the dramatic events that can change your life forever ~ and this movie is "INSPIRED" by a true event ... meaning they completely rewrote the story to suit themselves.   I was really excited to see the movie because it was "based on a true event" ... never paying attention to the fact that it Does Not Claim to be BASED on a true event.

If you have seen the movie & not read the book you need to read the book!  It's a mere 183 pages & the fact that this is an actual account of their personal story aside it's compelling & real and you so need to read it if you haven't already but have seen the movie!    It will be incredibly different from beginning to end.  You will then understand the difference between "inspired by"  & "based on" when you pick up a movie with those words on it's cover.   And I'm not 'knocking" the movie ~ it was okay  ~ you caught that right?  I'm not "knocking" the movie at the same time I'm not really recommending it either ... what I am saying here is in this case you really missed out on the whole purpose of the title  "The Vow" if you only see the movie without reading the book!!

And that is my take on this movie after reading the book ... I know if I had seen the movie first & then read the book I would have the same reaction the Book is SO Much BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!