The review:
Ry Russo-Young’s The Sun is Also a Star is not going to get a fair review from me because I’m too close to the book.* I initially rejected the movie because the actors both look like they are well into their 20s;** when I did watch the movie the changes that were made from the book stripped a lot of what I loved from the story.*** I didn’t necessarily expect this to be amazing, but I did want it to be better than it was.****
The verdict: Skip
Cost: $1.75
Where watched: at home
Consider watching instead:
Further sentences:
*Which is excellent, and I recommend you read it immediately. It’s short. It won’t take you long. Nicola Yoon is the author.
**I’ve since found out that Yara Shahidi is actually still a teenager
***I’m usually pretty good at separating the book from the movie—they are different mediums and need different things. But this movie was left with not much after so many things changed.
****Especially because Russo-Young directed Before I Fall, which I really enjoyed.
Favorite IMDB trivia item:
The lead characters Natasha and Daniel are loosely based on Nicola Yoon (the author of the book the movie is based on) and her husband who are Jamaican and Korean American respectively. Neither faced the immigration issues shown in the film.
