Well I watched this movie the other night. I read the book a couple of years ago and really thought it was great. I have been meaning to watch the movie version for a while but was avoiding it in a way because a) movies are hardly ever as good as the books b) it is disturbing. I was very uncomfortable the whole time I was watching it and I actually put some parts forward even though I know what happens. It wasn't graphic in any way. Its a PG-13. Why was I able to read the book but not watch it? I actually had to watch some comedy show after it and before I went to bed, so I wasn't thinking about it. I even kept going into my daughters room more than usual to check on her! I can watch most genres (except horror) without blinking an eyelid. Have any of you ever been disturbed watching something?
Thanks so far. I think a lot of it was to do with the parents in it. Watching their helplessness and suffering was very hard. Their ways of dealing with it were so well acted out. Hers to run away from it all and his to become obsessed with finding the person who did this to his child. I totally wanted to jump in that movie and kill that guy with my bare hands!!
We read the book when it first came out.. Totally freaked me and my husband out since we have a daughter.
Seeing it on film made it visual. It showed the reactions. It just reinforced the helplessness of the parents.
It was over all just a tough subject for any parent.
Well, especially for parents, it was a very disturbing subject. It hits home because we can relate as parents.
I get disturbed by lots of things: Blood, Sweat & Takeaways, scenes of war, and the 6:00 News on most days....
I think your reaction is totally normal. Growing up, I LOVED horror movies/shows and anything full of drama and suspense. However, since becoming a mom... I see things in a whole new light. I can not watch horror movies anymore. I don't like to watch cop/detective shows or anything like that. It seems all too real now and like you, I start to think of my children and feel a slight panic attack come on thinking how can I protect them from all the bad in the world. I guess it's just part of growing up and learning to put others before yourself.
By the way... I read that story before having kids and although I found it very disturbing, I thought it was a good read. I haven't seen the movie yet and don't think I ever will. I just don't want a visual of that running through my head :( Perhaps one day we'll be able to watch this type of stuff again without fearing it for our children.
There are a lot of movies that disturb me exactly like what you're describing. For me I can watch something gory or something scary where bad guys pop out & make you jump, but when it comes to anything kid-related or anyone being phsically tortured I have a really hard time with it. For example: I was in high school when Schindler's List came out & it was a mandatory field trip for my history class. I had to get up & leave the theatre twice because I just couldn't sit through person after person after person being murdered.
ETA: I read the book years ago & just watched the movie recently as well. Book was much easier to get through than the movie where it's actually "brought to life" & much more real feeling IMO.
I had no idea it was a book! I watched the movie once with my husband and every time that I see the title on cable I cringe. I can not watch it anymore, you are not alone.
Was the book different?
I never saw this movie, but I can imagine how much harder it is to see in movie form than read it. The music, the editing, the camera shots, they're all put together in such a way to elicit a visceral response from the viewer.
I have heard the description of the movie "The Human Centipede" and boy does it sound gross and unpleasant. Then I saw a still image from it and it's burned in my brain. I will have the heebies jeebies from that image for the rest of my life. •shudder•
I haven't seen the movie but I couldnt read the book either .It was too disturbing for me. I guess I have a vivid imagination!
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I read the book when it first came out.
I have not and will not watch the movie because I know it would bother me even more than the book did.
Your reaction sounds perfectly normal to me.
I watched this movie and liked it, it didn't disturb me at all, but I suspect the reason it disturbed you is because it is very realistic and we have been hearing about child abductions a lot more lately, which can make you scared enough to think "what if this were to happen to my child?". In a book, you can't see the characters' pain and tears, but in a movie, you can, so it's easier for a movie to affect you than a book, in my opinion.
Wow I did watched the movie a couple months ago with my husband... this movie really got to me.. I couldn't sleep jus thinking about it. I even told him when we went to bed how disturbed I felt. An image that was stuck in my mind was when she's going down on the stairs in the field.. even my husband couldn't sleep that night. I think is a good movie it opens peoples minds and teaches them to be careful and watch after their kids really good..
Updated
Wow I did watched the movie a couple months ago with my husband... this movie really got to me.. I couldn't sleep jus thinking about it. I even told him when we went to bed how disturbed I felt. An image that was stuck in my mind was when she's going down on the stairs in the field.. even my husband couldn't sleep that night. I think is a good movie it opens peoples minds and teaches them to be careful and watch after their kids really good..
That movie disturbed me too.....the way they portray the murderer is very creepy. I liked the movie very much though, it had a very positive message and ending.
I've wanted to read or see this for a while. But I had a funny reaction to the book 'Room'. I had to leave it halfway through. The boy is five years old, and I just related everything back to my five year old son. I don't know when I'll be able to finish it.
In my opinion, aside from not being as good as the book, it was in general a pretty bad movie. The characters were sort of cliche stereotypes (but Mark Wahlberg did a great job). What the heck was all the loopy doop "heaven" stuff that went on way too long?! That wasn't in the book! I was surprised it was bad since the director ROCKED for Lord of the Rings.
One massive flaw I noticed, was, remember when she snuck into the house and found the journal? And you saw her walk by the ten ton safe with her sister's body in it on the floor in the basement? Then she narrowly escaped with the journal, and the murderer had to INSTANTLY flee authorities. Fast forward to him "dumping the safe which is so heavy he needed help to push it to the landfill from a truck"
HELLO? Are we supposed to think he really quick ran up the stairs with that safe when he fled? But anyway. It was disturbing too. I think any mom will be disturbed watching abductions take place. I read the book before I had kids, and watched the movie recently. Hated it. I hate when movies are badly done, but pull your heartstrings just because the subject is disturbing. But for the record, I also thought the book fell apart half way through, and was only well written in the first half.
