Kite Runner: Book versus Movie

Camille Kelleher 

            A lot of times, novels that are adapted into movies never meet the reader’s expectations. Fortunately, I think that Marc Foster, the director, and David Benioff, the screenplay writer, were able to do justice to the book.

The movie never butchered the novel and stayed primarily true to the storyline. In the movie, a few scenes were cut, shortened, or altered most likely to save time including Soraya’s infertility, the road trip from Kabul to Pakistan, and the fight between Amir and Assef. There are several additions to the movie that developed the overall impression including the decision to have the dialogue in Dari with English subtitles and the background noise that reflects previous memories. When adult Amir returns to Kabul, for example, the background noise of people shouting and congratulating Amir and Hassan reflects the kite running competition and is added to the scene with adult Amir. I love the director’s choice to add the framed blue kite behind Baba when he tells Amir that he brings him shame. It creates more irony and tension in Baba and Amir’s relationship and implies Baba as impulsive and uncaring. These screenplay choices develop the emotion elicited in the book. 

            Also, the director added several humorous and light-hearted aspects to the movie that show a lot about tradition. It’s interesting that the director decided to add the fact that Soraya’s mother had to chaperone her walk with Amir and the wedding scene. Both of these changes weren’t necessarily needed but it builds the themes of family and culture found in the book and makes the movie more relatable.

            I only understand and acknowledge Khaled Hosseini’s thesis in the movie since I previously read the book. The movie depends a lot on the book, and partially understates some very important themes, like friendship, redemption, and guilt. In the book, I received the impression that Amir is a very sensitive man who internalizes every moment of his life. The emphasis on the guilt he feels after not stopping Assef from raping Hassan and pushing Ali and Hassan to leave Baba had very little presence in the movie. This is the major deviation from the book to the movie and diminishes the movie’s success. Also, I did not like the director’s choice of actors. I imagined Baba as a much larger man because there is elaborate description of his authority in his community and his pride he carries everywhere.

Overall, I enjoyed the movie because I had read the book right before watching it. If I hadn’t read the book, then I would have left more unimpressed with the Hosseini’s emphasis on guilt, redemption, and coming of age. For both the movie and the book, I wish that Hosseini spent more time contrasting Allah’s will and American optimism. There is definitely a presence of it in both mediums and I think it’s a really interesting juxtaposition. Both are two different fates to believe in, one is an omnipotent force while the other is a perspective on life and future outcomes. It would have been great to see this contrast elaborated between Amir and Assef when they are adults.