If you intend to watch this movie
DO NOT READ THE BOOK FIRST. If you want to read the book and watch the movie, watch the movie first (if you must) and then wait at least for half a year until the memory of the movie fades away. Yes. It is that bad. When I became aware of this movie I thought, what a fascinating story. So I bought the book and read it. It is a great piece of literature. But it's not an easy read and you have to understand it. The people who made the movie did not understand the story nor the protagonists. Izzy (Isabel) is perfectly casted by Alicia Vikander. Tom, however, is terribly miscast. He's just too old! Yes, there is the age difference. But both actors are too old. However, while Alicia Vikander looks young and vivid, Michael Fassbender just doesn't fit the role.
The book is a lot about feelings of people, about situations, expectations, memories of war, disappointments. There is not much dialogue. But because of that, the dialogues become even more important and they should have been emphasised in the movie. Because of the lack of dialogue - and of information, therefore - you don't really have a clue what is going on, and why, unless you had read the book. As a reader of the book, you get loads of information along the way. As a viewer of the film, you are completely left in the dark. Also, there was paid too little attention to the way Tom and Izzy met in the first place, and what happened before that.
I knew, of course, after reading the book, that the movie had to be a disappointment. Only Hollywood's finest could have made this one into a really great movie. Like Titanic. Yes, it has the potential. But it was too big a challenge for the producers. Well, this is just my opinion. If you have a different one, I will certainly respect that. 10 points for the book, 3 points for the movie.