Why "The Art of Racing in the Rain" Movie Is Better Than The Book
Two years ago on this date, I finished reading Garth Stein’s “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” and I had mixed feelings about it, which appears to put me in the minority.
As an animal lover, I really enjoyed Enzo as the narrator and found his ruminations on life both profound and simple — exactly what you’d expect from a dog. Not surprisingly, this is one of the things people constantly mention in reviews about how much they love the story.
Surprisingly, I can’t believe more people don’t talk about the plot point that hits about halfway through, (no spoilers) which was so "HASN'T HE SUFFERED ENOUGH?!" that I almost quit reading. If you read the book, you know the one I’m talking about, but if you’ve only seen the movie you wouldn’t — and that’s a good thing.
I didn’t want to watch the film adaptation, mainly because of the aforementioned plot point and the fact that it was almost universally panned when it was released last year. But since my husband and I can rarely agree on which film to watch, we both read the book and both have crushes on Milo Ventimiglia, we decided to give it a go.
It was so much better than the book.
And, I say that for two reasons: 1) That plot twist in the book doesn’t exist, which shows Stein could’ve found a different way to show Denny’s mettle that didn’t involve (spoiler alert) a child sex crime, and 2) Eve was portrayed as more accessible and a better friend to Enzo, which isn’t how the book portrayed their relationship.
Let’s be honest — the film is far from a masterpiece, but it has made me re-think my opinions on the book — yes, it is still melodramatic and far-fetched — which has become a classic for fans of stories about the human and animal connection.
Similar to how I feel about The Hunger Games, the film shows how sometimes a fresh perspective can help elevate the source material. The film version of Enzo was exactly what I pictured him to be, and he still remains the best parts of both versions of this story.
Flashback Review: The Art of Racing in the Rain
100-Word (or Less) Synopsis: Race car driver Denny and his golden retriever, Enzo, share a special bond that helps Denny through the challenges of love, loss and second chances.
Expectation: A sweet story about the human and animal connection.
Reality: Full of WTF story lines, including one of the worst plot twists in history. The real star here is Enzo, and it’s his observations about what’s happening to his favorite human — and humanity in general — that steal the show.
Recommended For: Fans of dogs. Warning: you will cry.
Why I Read It: I’m a sucker for stories about animals, and it was highly rated and beloved by so many. It was just okay for me.
Dates read: June 11 - June 15, 2018
Rating (story): 3/5 stars
Rating (narration): 4/5 stars
Format: Audiobook (library loan)
Multi-tasking: Good to go.
