Having just finished the book by Tracy Chevalier, I was very excited when I stumbled across this movie. Oops.
It was pretty I guess, but they managed to take every nuance, personality, and ounce of tension from the book and destroy it. One of the most interesting pieces of conflict from the book was what was happening inside Griet as she lost more of herself in Vermeer's world. And she was full of life, with lots of backstory. Griet in the movie just stands around looking shocked the whole time and you wonder why she would be compelling to paint or get to know at all.
Not to mention that one of the things that was supposed to be poignant (her piercing her ears for the painting) was completely glossed over. In the book she did it herself as a way of showing her love and commitment to Vermeer and we see how much she is struggling with how to deal with those feelings.
Her relationship with Pieter should have had much more complexity. The reason she sleeps with Pieter in the alley is because now that someone (the master) has seen her hair, she feels like she has given every piece of herself away, so why not let Pieter, who she has had a long courtship with, sleep with her? The movie just made it look like she was upset and needed sexual attention right there and now, from a guy she's met maybe twice.
And the conclusion explained nothing. The book was so beautifully clear and really delivered a punch - after Griet was painted and was accused of stealing the pearls, she ran away, reputation ruined, with no support from the master she believed cared about her. She more or less settled for Pieter because that's what she thought she should do, and ten years later is left the earrings because Vermeer has died - and the real punch is that his wife is the one who has to give them to Griet. Griet does not want to feel like she owes anyone anything, pawns the earrings, and gets on with her life. Where is this empowerment in the movie? You don't even know why Tanneke brings her the earrings at the end- there is no conclusion.
I know that not everything from a book can be included in the movie adaptation, and some things have to be changed for the screen. But I felt like they cut out a lot of crucial plot points that would have made the movie make more sense, and they changed some things just for the sake of making changes. If you did read the book, don't watch this. If you haven't read the book and you want a good story, read the book.
It was pretty I guess, but they managed to take every nuance, personality, and ounce of tension from the book and destroy it. One of the most interesting pieces of conflict from the book was what was happening inside Griet as she lost more of herself in Vermeer's world. And she was full of life, with lots of backstory. Griet in the movie just stands around looking shocked the whole time and you wonder why she would be compelling to paint or get to know at all.
Not to mention that one of the things that was supposed to be poignant (her piercing her ears for the painting) was completely glossed over. In the book she did it herself as a way of showing her love and commitment to Vermeer and we see how much she is struggling with how to deal with those feelings.
Her relationship with Pieter should have had much more complexity. The reason she sleeps with Pieter in the alley is because now that someone (the master) has seen her hair, she feels like she has given every piece of herself away, so why not let Pieter, who she has had a long courtship with, sleep with her? The movie just made it look like she was upset and needed sexual attention right there and now, from a guy she's met maybe twice.
And the conclusion explained nothing. The book was so beautifully clear and really delivered a punch - after Griet was painted and was accused of stealing the pearls, she ran away, reputation ruined, with no support from the master she believed cared about her. She more or less settled for Pieter because that's what she thought she should do, and ten years later is left the earrings because Vermeer has died - and the real punch is that his wife is the one who has to give them to Griet. Griet does not want to feel like she owes anyone anything, pawns the earrings, and gets on with her life. Where is this empowerment in the movie? You don't even know why Tanneke brings her the earrings at the end- there is no conclusion.
I know that not everything from a book can be included in the movie adaptation, and some things have to be changed for the screen. But I felt like they cut out a lot of crucial plot points that would have made the movie make more sense, and they changed some things just for the sake of making changes. If you did read the book, don't watch this. If you haven't read the book and you want a good story, read the book.