The Tenth Circle

Did not manage to count the circles... but watched this on the little box as a lunch "digestif"! Pretty boring for most of the story with characters having their own agenda. Romeo did not really care about Juliette, well may be he did! Juliette folks had their own motivation to do what they thought they should do. And Juliette mixed things a little. But it brightens a little towards the last bit. However by then most feel like quitting and happy to reach the ending whatever it might be... I'll give it another circle! Oh BTW, I did not read the book. Wow, I feel like copy all this and paste it here to get enough lines for submission; I really did not want to say more about it as I felt I said already too much - But rules are rules!

I first read The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult a few years ago and really enjoyed it and have since read it several more times. It is a very good story with really interesting twists and very fascinating and complex characters. I was a more than a little disappointed to discover that they were making it into a Lifetime TV movie.

And just like I expected, despite the good story that certainly has the potential to be a solid movie, it was transformed into a cheesy and poorly acted Lifetime flick. As you watch, you feel indifferent towards the characters and bored with the clichéd plot. Amazing how this great book could be turned into yet another run-of-the-mill Lifetime movie with the same worn storyline and boring characters.

Laura Stone (Kelly Preston) is a college literature professor sleeping with one of her students. Daniel Stone (Ron Eldard) is a stay-at-home comic book illustrator. Their high school daughter Trixie (Britt Robertson) gets dumped by her boyfriend Jason Underhill. At a drunken party, she reconnects with him. She claims rape but nobody at school believes her. Police detective Mike Bartholomy (Michael Riley) investigates. The case turns. One night, a drunken Jason falls to his death. Trixie suspects her father due to a previous incident.

This is a Lifetime movie. There may be some ambitions but I don't really like anybody or find the situation compelling. Jason needs to be more of a douche. Trixie is too desperate after getting dumped. The mysterious death comes to an unsatisfying resolution. I can stomach a standard Lifetime movie but this is somehow worst.

Though the movie was better than most of the films produced by lifetime, I don't believe it did the original novel by Jodi Picoult justice. The entire ending of the book is left out and discarded arguably that's where the turning point is when Trixie comes to terms with what has happened to her. Also, more emphasis as the father as a comic book author is included in the book, which adds a more dynamic element to the book, is noticeably absent from the movie. However, a great performance by Jamie Johnston (known best from his role as "Peter" in the teen Degrassi) makes up for plot flaws. The movie kept my attention, and had it not been associated with "The Tenth Circle," I believe it would of been perceived better as a movie. Audiences put high expectations on movies based on books, and this one didn't live up to the standards most Picoult readers expected.

I just finished watching the "Tenth Circle" on lifetime. I wanted to enjoy the movie, truly I did. But, I did not like it at all. The characters were not at all developed. Daniel looks way too feminine to be the strong silent father who hides a secret. Trixie comes off as much more mature than 15 and in completely unconvincing in her role as a victim or confused and angst teenager. Why couldn't they make her the red head as was in the book? Why a blond bimbo looking girl? Kelly Preston as Laura was flat and unmoving. I felt nothing for her or her position. When she was telling her version of events - I yawned.

While I know it is tough to transform a good book into a good movie, it seems little effort, if any was put into this movie. The movie makes many changes, that initially one would not think would make a difference, but, they truly do. Subtle yet important differences, that in the end make the difference between a good story and a blah waste of two hours.

This movie could have been completed in 15 minutes.

What a waste of talent.