5 Movies That Were Actually Better Than The Book!

It’s a cliché as old as time. The book is always better than the movie. But sometimes, in a very rare case, book-lovers and cinephiles everywhere can come to a near-universal agreement on an exception to the rule.

Once in a blue moon, a film comes along whose cultural significance and critical acclaim surpasses that of the book it was originally adapted from. Whether it be from directors with a razor-sharp vision, screenwriters with a killer instinct for tweaks, or stories that were always meant to find their way to the screen, sometimes the movie is just better than the book. Below are five such cases!

1. Fight Club (1999)

Three years before the release of the infamous film, Chuck Palahniuk released the novel of the same name. David Fincher is a universally acclaimed director, but what was it that really sent his film over the edge to the point where the novelist himself admitted that the film elaborated on the story in ways he could have never thought of?

Many argue that it’s the stunning visuals. It is true that the film is much more visually focused than the book, which is almost exclusively inside of Tyler Durden’s head. Also, the film has a very interesting take on its narrator. Finally, Fincher’s adaptation carries a very direct, explosive ending while Palahniuk’s is more subdued and ambiguous. Perhaps, though, it was simply always a story meant for the silver screen, the violent visual spectacle that it is. (Stream on Disney+ and Hulu.)

2. Jaws (1975)

Jaws was a massive commercial and critical success as soon as it was released in theaters in the mid-70s — so big, in fact, that it scared people away from real beaches and unintentionally impacted the economies of coastal tourist cities. This is no surprise, as Steven Spielberg is widely regarded as one of the most masterful storytellers of our time. 

This is precisely why his film is regarded as superior to the original novel. Spielberg made a number of intentional choices that brought relatability as well as intensity to his film, including different set pieces for the shark’s infamous death. The real difference is in the tone of the two works, however. While the novel by Peter Benchley is more of a soapy drama in which the shark serves more as a MacGuffin lurking in the background of local politics, Spielberg’s creation is thematically complex thriller that reels audiences in and never lets go. (Stream on Netflix.)

3. The Notebook (2004)

Although Nicholas Sparks is perhaps the most famous romantic novelist of all time, we’d be lying if we said that he won the battle in this particular case. Widely regarded as Nick Cassavetes’s best, the film made several creative diversions from the book that solidified it as one of the most famous romance films of all time. 

Cassavetes, most crucially, developed his characters much more than Sparks did. The film explores the characters’ young adult lives when Sparks begins their story in adulthood. He also adds conflict to the film that doesn’t necessarily exist in the book, staging intense verbal fights and dramatic twists that never occur to the Noah and Annie of the novel. And, oh, casting Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams at the heights of their careers didn’t hurt either. (Stream on fuboTV.)

4. Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009)

Roald Dahl has one of the most expansive oeuvres, so to speak, of all time. His collection of young adult stories has created impeccable source material for filmmakers, and there are nearly two dozen film adaptations of his works alone. 

Wes Anderson’s primarily stop-motion animation film, however, is a true work of art. Colorful, emotional, and inventive, Anderson is perhaps the only filmmaker with a style bold and particular enough to do Dahl’s work justice, and even to trump it. The film embarks on several creative differences, altering the storyline to fit the feature format and, in doing so, becomes an epic saga that Dahl would absolutely be pleased with. (Stream on Disney+.)

5. The Shining (1980)

Perhaps one of the most debated book-versus-film comparisons on this list, Stephen King’s famous story of the evil Overlook Hotel has sparked quite the controversy around its adaptation. King infamously hates Stanley Kubrick’s film adaptation, but nonetheless it is regarded as one of the most superior horror films of all time. So, who should we trust?

It all comes down to a matter of taste, but Kubrick’s intricate and layered film lands as a much stronger work in the end. King’s novel is a behemoth of a narrative, spanning magical storylines and a bunch of hullabaloo about evil witches and warlocks, but Kubrick’s terrifying film is a much more focused examination of the human psyche and the evil it can contain. When its spine-chilling sound, breathtaking visuals, and impeccable script come together, it's simply an army that King’s narrative stands no chance against. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg. (Stream on Max.)