Sassy Quack

DaVinci Disappointment


For shame, Ron Howard. We expect better of you.

In the adaptation of a book for the screen, it is understandable that cuts must be made in the interest of time. It is important though, to ensure that these cuts don't punch holes in the fabric of the story. Not only does Ron Howard fail to ensure this, he changes the nature of the interpersonal relationships in the story making the characters nearly impossible to care about.

Bezu Fache is now a member of Opus Dei. Dan Brown's Fache was a strong, driven, COP. The job was his religion and while we rooted against him, we knew that he was one of the good guys...France's own Detective Andy Sipowicz. Ron Howard has turned him into a religious zealot who blindly follows the direction of his church. He isn't a bulldog, he's a chihuahua. His eventual redemption fails to instill the same respect we have for Brown's Fache.

Where is the love story between Langdon and Sophie? Audrey Tautou, perhaps put off by Tom Hanks' unfortunate hairstyle and odd facial bloat, fails to give off ANY heat. One could argue that the love story isn't essential to the plot...but it certainly does make it more compelling. Many have also said that Tom Hanks is miscast here. I disagree. His Langdon comes across as intelligent and as accessible as possible given the writing. The failure is in his connection with Sophie. The actress cast in the part should have been one who was able to generate a powerful chemistry with him. We all know he could hold up his end of the deal. Is this not why there is a such thing as a screen test? (I now point my wand of shame at Janet Hirshenson, John Hubbard, and Jane Jenkins)

It seems that the filmmakers deliberately sought to crush all emotional connections that existed in the book. The result is that the characters are hard to access, and therefore, hard to care about. We are not caught up with the urgency we had to turn just one more page to find out what happened next. Jacques Sauniere is no longer Sophie's REAL grandfather. Why not? Why do we see him engaged in the ceremony that drives Sophie away and never learn that the woman with him is her grandmother? Why do we never learn of her grandparents powerful love for each other and their family that drives their life choices? With no mention of any of this, the appearance of Sophie's grandmother at the end of the film is awkward and empty. Where is her brother? The conclusion of Sophie's journey is not nearly as satisfying in the film. She just abruptly disappears as Langdon heads back to Paris.

Howard's characters are hollow shells of the complex human stories of Brown's design. How hard was this Ron? Almost all of the work was done for you and you just threw it away.

FOR SHAME.

Stepping of my soapbox and walking away in disappointment,
Sassy Quack