Our Souls at Night
by Kent Haruf
I adored the Netflix movie Our Souls at Night, as did every fan of Barefoot in the Park who delighted in seeing Robert Redford and Jane Fonda in another movie after forty years. It was a sweet, slow-burning romance that started with an unusual arrangement between neighbors: a widow asks her widower neighbor to come over after supper and sleep in her bed so she doesn’t have to sleep alone. They talk and bond (hence the title), and slowly their friendship turns deeper. However, the book wasn’t sweet at all!
Written in very simple, sparse, obviously masculine language, the basic premise is the same. But all the sweet touches I saw in the movie were missing. The hopefulness and second chance at happiness were replaced by boredom and complacency. Instead of focusing on getting to know each other and falling in love, the author put detail into a lonely man’s breakfast, washing the cereal bowl, and gardening. Perhaps he was trying to reach older readers who spend their mornings eating cereal and their afternoons gardening, but I didn’t think the point of the story was, “Gee, I’m old and my life sucks.” I thought the point was, “I may be old, but I’m not in a nursing home and I don’t have to act like it!” Do yourselves a favor: skip the book and stick with Robert Redford.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2017 film adaptation here!
Written in very simple, sparse, obviously masculine language, the basic premise is the same. But all the sweet touches I saw in the movie were missing. The hopefulness and second chance at happiness were replaced by boredom and complacency. Instead of focusing on getting to know each other and falling in love, the author put detail into a lonely man’s breakfast, washing the cereal bowl, and gardening. Perhaps he was trying to reach older readers who spend their mornings eating cereal and their afternoons gardening, but I didn’t think the point of the story was, “Gee, I’m old and my life sucks.” I thought the point was, “I may be old, but I’m not in a nursing home and I don’t have to act like it!” Do yourselves a favor: skip the book and stick with Robert Redford.
Be sure to check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2017 film adaptation here!