From Jane Austen to Chuck Palahniuk: 20 Good Movies Based on Books

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Decent film adaptations of literary works.

Redemption

• Original Literature: Atonement by Ian McEwan.
• Drama, melodrama, detective.
• UK, France, USA, 2007.
• Duration: 120 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

England, 1935. Young Briony Tallis lives in a remote estate, writes plays and observes what happens between her sister Cecilia and her lover Robbie. One day, fantasy plays a cruel joke with Briony, and she commits an act that radically changes the fate of all three.

Cloud Atlas

• Literary original: "", David Mitchell.
• Science fiction, action, drama.
• USA, Germany, Hong Kong, Singapore, 2012.
• Duration: 172 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

Traveling the Pacific Ocean in the 19th century. The composer's letters to his beloved in Britain in the 1930s. Reporting investigation at a nuclear power plant in the United States of the 70s of the XX century. The clone's escape from eternal slavery in Korea in 2144. Through these and other events, the filmmakers say: everything is interconnected, nothing is accidental.

Pride and Prejudice

• Literary original: "", Jane Austen.
• Drama, melodrama.
• France, UK, USA, 2005.
• Duration: 129 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

The story of five sisters - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia - living in 19th century England. One day a rich bachelor Mr. Bingley and his best friend Mr. Darcy visit their mansion. The acquaintance soon turns into a confusing and stormy story of love and hate.

At the end of the day

• Literary original: "", Kazuo Ishiguro.
• Drama, melodrama.
• USA, UK, 1993.
• Duration: 134 minutes
• IMDb: 7, 9.

Stevens the butler has been serving in the old estate for many years, sincerely considering this the raison d'être of his existence. One day a new housekeeper appears in the house, and Stevens falls in love with her. This and some other things make him question what he has been doing so faithfully all his life.

Bourne identification

• Literary original: "", Robert Ludlum.
• Action, thriller, detective.
• USA, Germany, Czech Republic, 2002.
• Duration: 113 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

The story of a man who is seriously wounded in the sea by fishermen. He doesn't remember anything, but in his thigh is a microfilm with a Swiss bank account number. Soon the hero finds out that he is being hunted. Together with a new girlfriend, he moves from country to country, trying to understand who he is and what is happening to him.

Diary

• Literary original: "", Nicholas Sparks.
• Drama, melodrama.
• USA, 2004.
• Duration: 124 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

Noah and Ellie were in love, but first social inequality, and then World War II, divided them. After the war, Ellie, already married to a successful entrepreneur, sees an article about Noah in the newspaper and decides to find him at all costs.

On the needle

• Literary original: Trainspotting, Irwin Welch.
• Drama.
• UK, 1995.
• Duration: 94 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 2.

Mark Renton is a heroin addict. His relationship with family and friends is not healthy. Mark tries to get out of the way, dragging out a miserable, but at the same time wild existence in Edinburgh, and gradually realizes the true values of life.

Oil

• Literary original: "", Upton Sinclair.
• Drama.
• USA, 2007.
• Duration: 158 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Daniel Plainview makes a living mining gold and silver. As a result, he finds oil and becomes the ideal tycoon - soulless and ready for anything for money.

One day they make him a very tempting professional offer, and he ends up in the town of Little Boston. But the locals don't like Daniel himself or what he does.

Fight club

• Literary original: "", Chuck Palahniuk.
• Thriller, drama, crime.
• USA, Germany, 1999.
• Duration: 131 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

The main character is an ordinary employee of a large company who buys furniture from IKEA and suffers from insomnia. He hates his boring life and one day he meets a man who is his complete opposite. Together they open an underground fight club, which eventually grows into something much grander.

Social network

• Literary Original: "Reluctant Billionaires" by Ben Mezrich.
• Drama, biography.
• USA, 2010.
• Duration: 120 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

A bit free, but therefore no less interesting retelling of the life of Mark Zuckerberg - the creator of Facebook. The social network brings the young developer millions of dollars, but at the same time - litigation and problems in his personal life.

Martian

• Literary original: "", Andy Weier.
• Science fiction, adventure.
• UK, USA, 2015.
• Duration: 144 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

During a mission to Mars, astronaut Mark Watney sustains damage to his spacesuit. The team believes that he died, and due to the storm, he leaves the planet.

But Watney is alive: he settles in a living module and begins to wait for the next mission, which should reach Mars in four years. To survive, he has to learn how to distribute the remaining reserves as efficiently as possible.

Shutter Island

• Literary Original: "", Dennis Lehane.
• Thriller, detective, drama.
• USA, 2009.
• Duration: 138 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

Bailiffs Teddy and Chuck are sent to a secluded island, which houses an asylum for insane criminals. The goal of the heroes is to find the missing patient. The deeper they plunge into the investigation, the clearer it becomes - this place is called the Island of the Damned for a reason.

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

• Literary original: "", Hunter Stockton Thompson.
• Drama, comedy.
• USA, 1998.
• Duration: 118 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

Raoul Duke travels to Las Vegas to write an article about motorcycle racing for a magazine. Together with him - his slightly inadequate friend, who is in the eternal search for the American dream. The trunk of the heroes is filled to capacity with drugs for every taste and color.

No Country for Old Men

• Literary original: "", Cormac McCarthy.
• Thriller, drama, crime.
• USA, 2007.
• Duration: 122 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 1.

A simple worker, Llewellyn Moss, finds two million dollars in the desert, which were left there after a failed drug deal. Soon the impassive killer Anton Chigur begins a bloody hunt for him. Sheriff Ed Bell tries to convince Llewellyn to return the money before it's too late.

Les Miserables

• Literary original: "", Victor Hugo.
• Musical, drama, melodrama.
• USA, UK, 2012.
• Duration: 158 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

France, early 19th century. Jean Valjean spent 19 years in prison just for stealing bread. Inspector Javert grants him freedom, but promises to keep an eye on him.

Over time, Valjean becomes mayor and adopts the girl Cosette. He has exceptionally good intentions, but the past in the person of Javert relentlessly pursues him on his heels.

Jackie Brown

• Literary Original: Rum Punch, Elmore Leonard.
• Thriller, drama, crime.
• USA, 1997.
• Duration: 154 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

Stewardess Jackie Brown makes a living smuggling cash. One fine day she is arrested and offered to surrender the arms dealer to whom she supplies money. Jackie has a plan: she decides to get rid of both threats and go into hiding with half a million dollars.

Iron grip

• Literary Original: Iron Grip, Charles Portis.
• Drama, Adventure, Western.
• USA, 2010.
• Duration: 110 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

The story of a fourteen-year-old girl who is looking for her father's killer. She hires the coolest bailiff she can find, but in fact he turns out to be a drunkard and lazy. On their way, the heroes meet a Texas ranger who intends to catch the same person as they are.

American psychopath

• Literary Original: "", Bret Easton Ellis.
• Drama, crime.
• USA, 2000.
• Duration: 102 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 6.

Patrick Bateman looks like a good citizen. He makes money on Wall Street by day, but at night he turns into a sophisticated killer. Each time his crimes become more monstrous.

Lord of the rings, Brotherhood of the ring

• Literary original: "", John Ronald Ruel Tolkien.
• Fantasy, drama, adventure.
• USA, New Zealand, 2001.
• Duration: 178 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 8.

The beginning of the story about the Ring of Omnipotence, which, by the will of fate, is in the hands of a hobbit named Frodo. The magician Gandalf tells the hero that the ring gives tremendous power, but also carries a serious danger. Together they travel to the infernal land of Mordor to destroy the artifact.

Rosemary's baby

• Literary Original: Rosemary's Baby, Ira Levin.
• Horror, drama, detective.
• USA, 1968.
• Duration: 137 minutes.
• IMDb: 8, 0.

Rosemary and Guy move into an apartment in Manhattan and immediately meet their neighbors, who are trying to impose on them as friends. After a while, Rosemary has a terrible dream, and a little later she finds out that she is pregnant. Suspicious neighbors begin to show excessive interest in the child.