24 Movies That Are Actually Better Than The Book They're Based On

Who'd have thought it?!

We recently asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us the movie they believe is better than the book it's based on. Here are some of the best responses.

1. To All The Boys I've Loved Before

Netflix

As an avid reader, I try to and finish all books no matter how much I dislike them but I legit couldn't finish To All The Boys I've Loved Before. The plot had a lot of potential, but Lara Jean was so poorly written and spoke like a 10 year old. The film, however, did an amazing job of telling the story and the casting was spot on.

— lucyc4fc26b033

Hands down the best book-to-movie I’ve ever seen.

— ktjuju0814

2. The Devil Wears Prada

20th Century Fox

I couldn't finish the book the first time I got my hands on it. I found it awful. I then somehow got forced into watching the movie and it was like night and day. I enjoyed it from the beginning, and then I finished the book hoping it ended better. It didn't. I will always recommend the movie over the book any day!

— Nilufar87

3. The Hunger Games

Lionsgate

In the books, Katniss is so unlikeable that I genuinely didn't care if she lived or died. Jennifer Lawrence brings far more warmth to the character and therefore makes the story itself more engaging with the stakes more real.

— ArcherCosplay

I loved the books but the movies were even better IMO. In the books you only really saw what was happening with Katniss and her immediate surroundings. In the movies you see all the aspects of the world Collins created and all the moving pieces outside of Katniss' perspective.

— Alicia O'Boyle Cutts, Facebook

4. Forrest Gump

Paramount Pictures

The book has a load of adventures — including Forrest becoming a pro-wrestler, an astronaut and crash landing on an island of cannibals — that just aren't believable. The movie has much more emotional depth.

— HannahIsSassy

He is barely tolerable as a character in the book and all of the situations that he's in are less satisfying because of it.

— csmith526

5. Gone Girl

20th Century Fox

The protagonist, Amy, is supposed to be this genius sociopath, but in the book she just came across as a whiny, spoiled child. Rosamund Pike transformed the character in the movie.

— KendraAuTelemanus

A few small changes to the movie really made the characterisation more consistent and plot points more coherent.

— ennr4ab11fa64

6. The Perks of Being a Wallflower

Summit Entertainment

The characters had more life in the movie version, maybe because all of them were cast perfectly. In the book, Charlie's narrative is very vague and it's hard to move past him to understand the other characters. The movie felt more genuine and never fails to make me cry.

— Dawnraenicolec

7. The Notebook

New Line Cinema

It was honestly such a slow-going book with so much unnecessary detail. The movie, on the other hand, did such a good job of telling the story clearly.

— m44129ce32

8. How To Train Your Dragon

Dreamworks Animation

The movie franchise has added much more depth and detail that the book series lacks, and considering that Cressida Cowell herself praised the first two movies for the plot, characters, and acting performances, it's safe to assume that the directors and crew did something right.

— Blackbird68

9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and Prince Caspian

Walt Disney Pictures

Both movies fleshed out the characters, had better defined plot elements and still told the story Lewis wrote. One of the best examples was how, in the book, Lucy just steps into the wardrobe upon finding it, whereas in the movie she hides in it during a game of hide and seek. Prince Caspian adds a big game change in actually having the girls fight battles along with everybody else — something they did not at all do in the book.

— kristend43cd3450f

10. Fight Club

20th Century Fox

It's a good book but an incredible film. Even Chuck Palahniuk, the book's author, has said that the film is better than book, which really says it all.

— Adevenney

11. The Shining

Warner Bros

The film adaptation cut out a lot of unnecessary crap from the book and amped up the paranoia. I also liked that the movie didn't try to redeem Jack by having him sacrifice himself, but left the ending open for interpretation.

— Caitlinm18

Kubrick wisely tossed out all the silly stuff, like the hedge monsters and the stupid plot with the boiler leaving us with pure, primal horror.

— rogers43b4cf985

12. Stardust

Paramount Pictures

I saw the movie first and was completely awed by it. It was such a different and unique fantasy piece, and I knew I had to read the book after. However, I was so disappointed. The book was so bland — the characters were barely fleshed out and the romance between Tristan and Yvaine was non-existent. It's one of the rare cases where the movie was a million times better than the book.

— monikap6

13. The Princess Bride

Act III Communications

The film took the best aspects of the book and condensed the less needed information to make one of the greatest movies.

— emmam4615407b1

14. Bridget Jones's Diary

Universal Pictures

I recently read Bridget Jones’s Diary after rewatching the movie and tbh, I didn’t care for the book at all. Bridget got on my nerves and the way it was written was very fat-phobic. Renee Zellweger was so charming in the movie that I actually liked her character. And the fat-shaming didn’t seem as obvious in the movie.

— tadh2

15. Crazy Rich Asians

Color Force

The movie edited out so much unnecessary side-plot, and made Nick and Rachel much more lovable characters.

— emilieg6

16. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Heyday Films

All of the other books in the series are better than the movies but this one? The movie did it justice — it's gorgeous. The time travel scenes are amazing! And you also can't beat seeing Malfoy punched in the face.

— Annabellen2

17. Legally Blonde

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Elle was bratty and a lot less likeable in the book. Reese completely transformed that character and made her SO much better in the movie. Plus lots of the stuff that made the movie so good was missing from the book altogether. (Especially the missing Emmett love story which is just so wrong!) Even the writing was not the greatest... unfortunately just a big fail all around.

— s4cbf6d9fe

18. Jurassic Park

Universal Pictures

The book was overly tedious and somehow made dinosaurs eating people boring. The film on the other hand, sequels not withstanding, was awesome.

— Overseer

19. The Little Prince

The Little Prince

I’ve loved the book ever since childhood and even have a tattoo dedicated to it on my arm. But the movie added a new layer to the story with the introduction of an entire set of new characters. They really complemented the story and allowed it to explore some of its themes in a more in-depth and interesting way. Plus, the animation is gorgeously out of this world.

— tiffanyb4e5ae7bf0

20. Lord of the Rings

New Line Cinema

It’s the only time I have EVER preferred the film to the book. The books are very long and not particularly exciting. You can skip a chapter every time you read the words "council" or "song" and not lose much. It’s written as a history rather than a novel so the structure is clunky and quite dull. The films on the other hand are pacey, beautiful and exciting.

— hjj2

I've tried to read the books so many times and I know Tolkien was a creative genius but his writing style is dry for me and I have trouble getting lost in them. The movies were beautiful and well acted and I finally understood why my fantasy loving friends were obsessed with it.

— andip4

21. The Count of Monte Cristo

Touchstone Pictures

The book started out fine, but I felt it kind of unraveled in the second half. Characters don't get closure, way too much time was spent on characters nobody really cares about, and the ending was dumb. I felt that the movie actually did a great job of taking the premise of the book and then expanding on it. The ending felt satisfying, and the movie as a whole felt focused and exciting.

— tabethaa3

22. The Shawshank Redemption

Castle Rock Entertainment

As a novella it's one of Stephan King's least memorable works but as a film it's one of the greatest of all time.

— Matthew Standfast, Facebook

23. Cloud Atlas

X-Filme Creative Pool

It's my favourite book, but the film adaptation is incredible. The movie simplified complicated plot threads, but at the same time enhances the characters and the novel’s key concept of interconnectedness.

— Aliceroses

24. Call Me By Your Name

Sony Pictures Classics

While the novel is really great, the film has an ethereal quality. The languid days of summer are captured so beautifully by the camera and no words can describe it. The lack of narration also makes it even more romantic and sweet, plus they changed the ending for the film which was a great idea. The scene of Elio staring into the fireplace after that phonecall is heartbreaking and so poignant.

— marianad2

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