I prefer reading a book first before seeing the movie, but I only saw it was based on one post-viewing. Really liked te film and was curious how the two compare. I haven't read anything by Larry Brown before, but he seems like an interesting author. Has anyone that read joe or Larry Brown want to lend their insights?
shareThe movie version of Joe is pretty similar to the book except for the ending. That was changed from the novel's version. I'm a huge fan of Larry Brown's work, and this film definitely does him justice, in my opinion.
shareSorry, I forgot one glaring difference: the movie takes place in Texas, while the book takes place in Mississippi. I found this a little frustrating, being a Mississippian, myself. I wished it had stayed in "home" territory, so to speak.
shareThanks for the input!
I initially watched this as a fan of David Gordon Green's early work and am very pleased to see him return back to his filmmaking roots.
I'm glad it did the book and Larry Brown justice. If his work is similar in tone, than I think i'll enjoy reading him. He really piqued my interest when I read the authors that his wikipeda page compares him to and who he cited his influences were. I've put Dirty Work in my reading list and go from there.
I highly recommend his first published work Facing the Music, a collection of short stories. It gives you a good picture of what he would really begin to focus on in later works like Joe and Dirty Work.
He actually wrote a sequel to Joe called Fay, which explores the side of Gary's sister Fay (I don't remember her name in the movie, pretty sure it was changed). That would be an interesting film to explore, as well.
Thanks for the recommendation, sounds like a great place to start! Just ordered Facing the Music and I look forward diving into it. I absolutely loved the themes and tone of this movie and and if his work captures a similar feel than I know I'll enjoy reading him.
In one scene the drunken father lies to the old man he attacks for a bottle of wine. At first he tries to get sympathy by saying he has to "go down to Water Valley" where his wife is in the hospital. Water Valley is in central Mississippi.
I don't know everything. Neither does anyone else