Garp und wie er die Welt sah

Wer liebt Garp nicht? In den 90er Jahren gab es Forrest Gump, ein Jahrzehnt zuvor war es Garp. Ein Film, dem man sein Alter auf den ersten Blick nicht ansieht, was eine absolut wunderbare Devise ist. Dazu kommt noch die wunderbare Figur der Transfrau Roberta, die mir das Herz gebrochen hat. (19.05.2020)

A good film with a strong story, which was to be expected given the source material. I think the book is still significantly more interesting, partly because I found the film at times too ordinary, which is a shame. However, Robin Williams had already shown in 1982 that he was a great actor and that roles like this would suit him best. (27.05.2015)

Unfortunately, the film adaptation of one of my favorite novels didn't turn out very well. Even the very decent performances of the actors couldn't save it. I also have a bit of a problem with the choice of actors. Robin Williams, in particular, although I respect him a lot otherwise, didn't really suit the character of the lead role. Of course, I admit that if I hadn't read the book, I would have rated it a bit higher. (05.08.2020)

"The World According to Garp is my great book love, and that's why I was afraid of the adaptation. My fears were confirmed already in the first scene. Jenny was too harsh, Garp was already in the world, and his conception was only narrated in an inappropriate place. I felt like turning off that superficial-looking entertainment without a proper psychological portrayal of the characters, but now I'm glad I didn't. As soon as the story shifts to Garp's adulthood, Robin Williams comes on the scene, and especially the perfect Mary Beth Hurt, whose Helen is exactly as cute and thoughtful as I have always imagined her. In the end, the director Hill became the savior, proving to be too much of a professional to destroy such a beautiful story, despite the abbreviated script. He manages to create many heartwarming moments, winking at the reader/viewer (bears), and avoids any clumsiness with the complex character of Roberta, which would only come with the slightest recklessness. Moreover, he includes a scene that says more about the main character than any amount of dialogue – a scene where the titular hero looks through the blinds, allowing the viewer to feel exactly the kind of stream of thoughts that Irving provided in the original. If I wasn't a fan, I would consider giving it the highest rating, but that's not the case because I imagine Garp as a huge barrage of thought-provoking stories, reflections, and hidden opinions, which cannot be captured in a film." (23.06.2007)