Treat yourself to Something Borrowed

We all know what happens too often when a book is adapted into a movie — it falls short of our expectations.

The tendency for movie adaptations of books to disappoint audiences happens so often that movie goers who have read the book expect to be let down by the movie even before they enter the theatre.

But nowadays, with books being produced into movies almost as soon as they hit bookshelves, producers and directors have certainlybeen getting their practice in adapting books to movies.

One director finally got it right with the movie Something Borrowed.

Adapted from the book of the same itle which falls under the chick-lit genre, Something Borrowed lacks the depth and quality of a traditional book-turned-movie storyline.

Yet perhaps it is the simplicity of the storyline that helped director Luke Greenfield keep the story so true to its origin, delivering a movie which was as satisfying to watch as it was to read and restoring some faith that books can indeed make great movies.

Something Borrowed delivers a fresh twist on a classic romantic comedy by blending the standard element of girl gets guy with the drama of a protagonist facing a moral and personal dilemma which may cost her the two most important relationships in her life.

The story opens on the night of Rachel’s (Ginnifer Goodwin) 30th birthday celebration,a glammed-up affair set in a nightclub which is hosted by her girl-who-has-it-all childhood best friend Darcy (Kate Hudson).

After enjoying one too many cocktails, Rachel finishes the evening with one last fateful beer and al iquid courage-triggered confession to her former law school crush who also happens to be Darcy’s fiance Dex (Colin Egglesfield).

Predictably, Rachel falls into a taxi cab next to Dex and a mad pash ensuesin the back seat leading to the pair waking up next to each other the following morning, naked, in Rachel’s bed, setting the wheels of fate in motion.

The dialogue is at times unnecessarily crass, but adds a relatable element to the characters while Ginnifer and Kate are perfectly paired opposites portraying loving, yet equally flawed best friends whose friendship is put to the ultimate test.

A handful of fairly unknown supporting actors with boy-next-door charm and good looks are pulled from the woodwork to round out the ideally structured cast.

Male eye-candy and flawless adaptation aside, my favourite aspect of Something Borrowed was the 90s flashback soundtrack which provided the perfect score to a few heart-felt scenes with moody old school ballads from bands Third Eye Blind, Oasis and Radiohead.

Something Borrowed proved to be better than your average love story.