Hola readers! Today I am going to do a good ol' book vs. movie using the story Old Fashioned. I read the companion book first, The Old Fashioned Way, which is pretty much a non ficion not unlike Joshua Harris' book I Kissed Dating Goodbye with similar values and goals. I knew what the creators of the movie were going to stand for and so I watched the movie. I was disappointed, the plot missing something (I'll explain later).
Then I found the book (based off the script and co authored by the man who made the movie). I picked it up (for a dollar people - how could I resist?!), and now here I am.
Let us see if the book is better then the movie (and bare with me - I'm hazy on all the details with the movie, so feel free to correct).

Movie Clay vs Book Clay

Movie Clay was sweet, quiet, and everything I expected from the trailer. When I read the book I'm fairly certain the man who made the movie was right in casting himself (that's right - here's the guy behind the plot, story - everything!).
I did think however that Clay in the book had his funny moments that appeared a bit forced and out of character in the movie. Maybe it's just me, but in the book they came across as they should - funny - but in the movie the little lines that should have made us laugh didn't.
I don't know - Clay's personality I think needed to be more defined in the movie. His spiritual journey was cut short, as where in the book we learn why he didn't go to church, who is parents were, a little more about his relationship with his old girlfriend Kelly, and the strain he feels with his non Christian friends, as well as his spiritual awakening in the end.
None of those things were played as tight in the film I felt, and I think it's one of the reasons I
struggled in watching it.

 Movie Amber vs. Book Amber



She came across the same pretty much the whole time in both the movie and book until the end. Then it hit me how much a spiritual awakening she had as well as Clay. Readers - she read her Bible a LONG time after "breaking up" with Clay toward the end! Not only that but she pretty much baptized herself in the bath tub, told a manicurist about Jesus and was on fire (for Jesus).
I did not see this in the movie and I think it hurt my views of the ending. If they'd had those scenes (and maybe they did but I forget), I think it would have been 10 times better then it already was!

The Romance book vs. Movie


The only thing missing that should have been in the movie about the romance was the fact that I feel like in the end of the book Clay realized that he'd been a rule follower - not truly a God-follower. He'd played only by the ten commandments but his heart deep down hadn't been with God. He'd put on a holier then thou attitude and I think slowly with his relationship with Amber he got that.
Not only that but I realized why Clay had dated a non Christian despite his convictions... his convictions hadn't been strong because they were just rules. He wasn't following them because he loved God and was completely on fire for him and following His every step, but because he was playing it safe.
The romance side could have been near perfect if they'd shown this deeper in the movie! Plus Clay wearing black made a little more sense after reading the book - for me anyway.

The missing scenes....


In the book there were some scenes (as I've said above) that they missed. Like with George (the guy who brought Clay the furniture), the lady who owned the floral shop where Amber worked, etc, etc. They were powerful scenes for me that would have played well for the movie.
I know, I know, you can't have everything in a film - still it would have changed my views on it so much instead of feeling that there were holes in the plot.
Because there was and were.

Overall....


The movie was great but the book was better!
Which is sad.
The plot and storyline base around things that most films don't go for. The whole dating, courtship, broken pasts, the different ways people view marriages, the characters, the humor - all of it make something beautiful.
After reading the book I got a different view on the movie. I realize a bit more what the creator was trying to say, and it was just the fact that some really good scenes didn't make the movie (sadly).
That being such I felt very inspired after finishing the book adaptation, and I recommend it to any older teen or adult.
It's lovely.
And then watch the movie.