Lockdown is the perfect time to watch all those films you’ve been wanting to watch for ages. But if you’re not too sure where to start, this post offers a few suggestions of some great book-to-film adaptations that you can watch during lockdown. I love all of these films, and I hope there’s some suggestions here for your next lockdown film night!
Thank you so much Mònica for featuring my post on your blog, I really appreciate it!
1. Clueless
The film Clueless is a (very) loose re-telling of Jane Austen’s classic novel Emma. As in the book Emma, the main character in Clueless tries to set up her friends, helping them to find love, but unable to find it for herself.
While this is definitely not an accurate book-to-film adaptation, this film has certainly become a classic in itself.
2. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
Little Women has been retold in film many times across the decades. It is a classic coming-of-age tale, following the story of four sisters living in America during the Civil War. While their father is off fighting, the sisters must fend for themselves, looking after their mother. Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy are all very different, but each one has a path to follow.
My mum and I have always enjoyed watching the various retellings of this brilliant classic. I haven’t watched the latest version, so I’d love to try that soon!
3. Atonement by Ian McEwan
I studied this book in school- while my classmates hated ‘Atonement’, I loved it. It’s a strange tale of how one girl’s lie completely ruins one man’s life. But behind this tale are deeper themes of class strife, gender struggles, and the troubles of the Second World War.
The 2007 film stars Keira Knightley and James McAvoy, and is a brilliant adaptation of an interesting, controversial read.
4. The Perks of being a Wallflower by Stepehn Chobsky
I actually watched this film before I read the book and I wasn’t a huge fan. But once I read the book, I re-watched the film- and I really enjoyed it. For me the film and the book are quite different. There were parts of the book I enjoyed which were not included in the film, and vice versa. However, this story follows a group of teenagers as they figure out life and love, and I always enjoy coming-of-age books and films.
5. A Simple Favour by Darcey Bell
I watched this film just before lockdown, but this is a great film to try during lockdown as it’s a funny, intriguing thriller. While some parts of it felt goofy and strange, I loved that Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick played the two leads, and they really fit well in the roles. It was also nice to see two female leads in a thriller. I’m looking forward to reading the book soon, as I’m interested to see how close it is to the film adaptation.
I hope there’s an option on this list that will help your lockdown go by a little faster, and these are all great books and films! Thank you again to Mònica for hosting me on your blog- I hope there’s some choices here that appeal to you too!
You can find Eleanor's blog over notsomoderngirl.com. Don't forget to follow her on Twitter and on Bookstagram, and check out my recommendations on her blog!
