Nine Thought-Provoking Questions that Compare the Book to the Movie
Who doesn’t love to compare the book to the movie after reading a engaging story?
When a book is turned into a movie, everyone has a wide variety of opinions. There is no movie adaptation that captures the book perfectly so every attempt leaves plenty of room for discussion.
And every now and then, the movie captures the story in a more enjoyable way, or at least aspects of it.
Whether you love it or hate it, the movie adaptation of a book always makes for a great discussion. So gather your family or a group of friends and use some of these questions to cultivate a fantastic discussion of the book and the movie.
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Comparing the Book to the Movie
Movie or book?
Everyone has strong feelings in the end, and a book an dmovie combo is the perfect backdrop for a great group discussion.
These questions will guide the discussion as you compare a book to the movie version of the story. Think of them as a great way to begin a discussion, but don’t limit your discussion to these topics. It is my hope that these questions will stimulate other ideas and topics and you compare the book to the movie.
Think about the setting, the character development, and the plot as you compare the two versions. Try to understand the movie director’s point of view as they made changes to the book version while trying to bring it to the big screen.
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Books Made into Movies
There are so many good books that have been made into movies. Get inspired with a few of these great lists:
Over 50 Engaging Teen Books Made into Movies
Over 45 Children’s Books Made into Movies
Family Friendly Book and Movie Combos
Nine Questions to Compare the Book and the Movie
Let’s get the discussion started:
1. Did the setting in the movie match the description in the book (or the image you pictured)?
Dig into the changes in setting from the book to the movie. Did the visual setting live up to the image in your head as you read the book? Were there movie scenes that clearly didn’t follow along with book descriptions? What settings did you enjoy most as your read and/or watched?
2. Was your favorite character in the book also your favorite in the movie? Did you feel they were portrayed accurately in the movie?
Sometimes a book character changes drastically or is even omitted from the movie version. When it happens to your favorite character, it can evoke pretty strong feelings. Explore the changes that happened to your favorite character and how you feel about them.
3. Think about all of the characters. How are they different in the book vs the movie? Did you enjoy the changes?
This question is similar to the previous question but is a good opportunity to discuss the changes that happened to all of the characters and not just your favorites. Discuss the characters eliminated from the movie version and the possible reasons they may have been removed.
4. What parts of the book weren’t included in the movie? Why do you think they were cut (or changed)?
This is a great opportunity to talk about translating a book into a movie. In order to make a movie with reasonable time limits, parts of the book have to be removed or adjusted. How do you choose which parts to remove and do you agree with the decisions that were made?
5. Did the movie contain scenes or characters that weren’t in the book? Why do you think they were added?
It isn’t uncommon to have events occur in a movie that never happen in the book. Sometimes the entire ending is changed or a whole new character appears. Does it work or was it a horrible idea for the book you read?
6. Was the climax the same in the book and the movie? Was there more tension at this point in the book or the movie?
The climax is such a pinnacle part of the story. Take some time to discuss this specific moment in the story and how the book and movie versions compare to one another.
7. What aspects of the movie did you enjoy more than the book? What parts of the book did you enjoy more?
I know everyone has a preference of one over the other. We’ll get to that discussion in the final question. For now, focus on the parts you enjoyed the most of BOTH adaptations. Each one has something to offer in the retelling of this story.
8. Overall, do you think they did a good job adapting this book to the big screen? Why or why not?
It’s always interesting to see if everyone feels the same way or if there are differences of opinion when you compare the book to the movie version.
9. Which did you prefer: the book or the movie? Why?
Finally, we arrive at the final analysis and comparison of the book and the movie. All of the various aspects of the book and the movie have been discussed, so at the end of the day, which one ranked higher on your list. Give everyone a chance to defend their options and remember that there are no right or wrong answers, only well-defended opinions!
Grab a printable version of the questions:
She believes that creativity, laughter, and fun are the backbone for engaging and inspiring homeschools. You can find her encouragement and tips on this blog, Mary Hanna Wilson.
She is an enneagram 7 and an extrovert. She enjoys traveling, tea (iced or hot), good conversations, and books. You can connect with her on Instagram and Facebook.
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