marydona Review of Ruby Red

Ruby Red (2013)

Of course it's open-ended...

[3/10 · 18 October 2013]

I read the books in German and I kinda liked them - even as they might be a kind of "teenage girl books".

As in "BOOKS" - there are three. So of course this movie does not complete the plot.

The movie entertained me, but there where some things I did not "like"...

• the house they live in is as big as having room for a ball room... can't see any in the book, but that might have just been a problem to find such a location

• the way Charlotte is talking (german version)... she is WAY too arrogant (even tho she is described arrogant in the book, she doesn't seem to be that snobby).

• the actress of Gwendolyn's aunt Maddy is just horrid... she acts way too... acted - that might be, because she is played by a way too young looking person dressed up as old lady (even tho K.Thalbach is 59)

• can not recall her best friend Leslie being black but I might have overread that and I actually do not care...

• Gwenny herself is an average girl according to the book... no vamp - the movie made her look like a beautiful rebel

• Lady Arisa on the other hand appears way to "soft" - according to the book she is very strict

• her first time jump did not attract that much attention in the book...

• Storyline text: Gideon is not Charlottes boyfriend, he is just a friend and fellow timetraveler

And I could go on and on and on...

The movie is quite entertaining, IF you did not read the books at all. If you did, it is far away from what Gier wrote.

Conclusion: The casting is bad, the actors are mediocre and the movie full of mistakes. The books are great and the movie could be too, but sadly isn't.

tldr: Read the books, avoid the movie.