I got NICK AND NORAH’S INFINITE PLAYLIST (the movie) from Netflix last weekend. I’m a fan of both Michael Cera and Kat Dennings, but this was a pretty lame movie, in my opinion. It did, however, help clarify for me why I liked the book by Rachel Cohn & David Levithan so much — which I did, very unexpectedly.
The book does not feel to me like an ode to NYC in all its glory — as Elizabeth mentioned, this was not my teenager-in-the-city experience. In fact I think part of what the book does well is capture the suburban teenager’s sense of adventure and freedom at a night out in the city, and the slight sense of smugness at “knowing” the city, which of course they don’t know or experience in the same way as a teenager who lives there like Elizabeth and I did.
Basically what I loved about the book is the consistent accurracy and immediacy of Nick and Norah’s thoughts — it just felt real to me as I was reading. I especially like that both characters are pretty self-aware and self-analytical, but it still doesn’t stop them from being utterly confused about their crushes, or going in circles in their heads, or doing the things they’re perfectly well aware that they don’t really necessarily want to be doing, which is what I was like as a teenager. And that aspect — the in-the-moment inner brain workings — doesn’t come across in movie. So you’re left with just a story about two teenagers having a night out on the town, and they come across as very predictable, a little shallow, and a little annoying, all of which is true to the characters actions in the book, but in the book you’re not paying attention to their actions, you’re following their thoughts. In the movie, you’re just following them, from one club to another.
Plus, of course, the book has the ultimate bonus: not one but two MSCL references, which are not just thrown in but are used as a natural part of Norah’s thoughts, which is dead on — trust me, a teenager who loves MSCL will automatically use it as a reference point and will, without even trying to, relate aspects of their life back to scenes from the show. Plus, Norah thinks one of my favorite quotes:
Much as I want to learn more about Nick, I also want to take a time-out so I can tell Caroline all about him. If Caroline were here, we could dissect Nick via My So-Called Life script/Jordan Catalano moments.
Rayanne: I think part of him is partly interested in you. Definitely. I mean, he’s got other things on his mind.
Angela: But that’s the part that’s so unfair. I have nothing else on my mind. How come I have to be the one sitting around analyzing him in like microscopic detail, and he gets to be the one with other things on his mind?
Rickie: That is deep.
-->Feed me text
March 10, 2009 at 11:31 am
Awww. I never read the book, but I saw the movie back when it was in theatres, and I really liked it. Though you’re right, it did feel a little forced with all the cool, hip NY stuff. But I like Kat Denning and Michael Cera, too.
If the book is as good as you say I must check it out. And I love that it has a MSCL moment! (I always really liked Angela’s quote there–it’s something I’ve totally related to for so long!)
March 10, 2009 at 11:02 pm
You know, your review is making me like the book more; good point on the suburban-but-close-to-the-city smugness (and, love how you trumped it with the I’m-authentically-from-the-city smugness: top that, mothafuckas).
I guess part of what bugged me is that I felt that smugness from the *book*, not just the characters. Which, when I say it, doesn’t necessarily make sense — what’s the alternative, that the book is contemptuous of its characters? I’d probably complain about that too — but the book read to me as far more self-satisfied than it needed to be.
I thought Rachel Cohn’s early chapters were particularly weak, although she had some high points too — and obviously, the MSCL references were the zenith! Nicely put about what it’s like to have this show in your head; I forget that that’s something we need to explain. Like, other people don’t routinely think things like, “That’s just like what Sharon said to Delia that time….”
March 11, 2009 at 4:34 pm
I liked the book too but I still haven’t seen the movie one of my friends saw it and loved it ..then again we have different taste in movies haha I’ll watch it sometime soon
March 15, 2009 at 5:58 pm
I have this down as a book I want to read in the future. Not sure if I’ll be able to get to it any time in the near future though.