Looking for Alaska
TV Shows/Dramas watched in 2023
Looking for Alaska (2019, USA)
Directors: Sarah Adina Smith, Rachel Lee Goldenberg, Brett Haley, Ami Canaan Mann, Clea DuVall, Megan Griffiths, Rashaad Ernesto Green & Josh Schwartz
Writers: Josh Schwartz, Warren Hsu Leonard, Stephanie Savage, Ashley Wigfield, Kirk A. Moore, Leila Gerstein & Kendall Rogers
Mini-review:
There are a lot of good book-to-movie/TV adaptations. However, there is something that's a lot rarer: an adaptation that improves on the original in pretty much every way. Looking for Alaska is one of those. Going for a miniseries instead of a movie means that everything is much more fleshed out, from the characters to the setting and the themes. The show also perfectly captures the atmosphere of the novel. I've always felt that atmosphere was what made this book so special and popular, and this adaptation made me feel exactly the same. I must admit, though, I still don't like Miles as a lead character, like at all. But, since the other characters get as much focus as him, I didn't dislike him as much as I did in the book.
What's more, the cast is absolutely spectacular. They all nail their roles. I seriously can't think of many teen movies/shows with such fantastic acting. Kristine Froseth and Denny Love are particularly showstopping and I was really surprised (and disappointed) to see they didn't get any award nominations. They're truly that good. Lastly, I want to talk about the setting. I just loved Culver Creek, the pranks, the locations, everything. I honestly wish they would have turned this into some sort of anthology where we follow a different set of Culver Creek students in each season. Seriously, the setting has so much potential. Anyway, this is easily one of the best book adaptations I've ever seen, and I'm really glad I decided to watch it.
