Rae's Reads and Reviews

The Sun is Also a Star is a book to movie adaptation about two teens going through a life changing day. Natasha and Daniel meet throughout the day, despite all odds. In just 24 hours, the two learn about life, love, and the pursuit of something greater than themselves.

I read the book over a year ago and as soon as I heard there was a film to come, I got super excited. I was expecting to love it just as much as Everything, Everything. Now, I’m starting to wonder if time has clouded my vision. Memories aren’t nearly as accurate as we’d like to think.

Things I loved

I love seeing people of color on the big screen. As you know if you follow my Grownish Recaps, I’m a huge fan of Yara Shahidi. Also, these particular POCs are absolutely gorgeous. This was my first time seeing Charles Melton and those cheek bones look sharper than stone.

The film is easy to follow along, even if you haven’t read the book. Plot points were very clearly drawn out. I do think reading the book helps you understand the characters better, but it’s your prerogative.

I also enjoyed the cultural representation. I know that was a big part of the book, as well. They connected the deportation issue to our current political climate super well.

What I didn’t like

I feel like the producers just wanted to put two beautiful people on the screen and have the audience watch them fall in love. The film lacked a lot of the depth that the book had. The issues were touched on very lightly and the character development was lacking. It felt very stagnant at times.

Though falling in love in just a few hours is definitely an unlikely premise, the book addressed it in a much more meaningful way. I know it must have been difficult trying to pick and choose what parts to keep and what to leave out on screen, but I feel like it could have been done much differently.

The movie also lacked humor. A lot of the jokes fell flat. I love romantic comedies, but this movie was all romance.

The target audience was most likely tween/teenage girls. I feel like the mistake these films make are assuming teenage girls have no depth and only care about seeing attractive people make out on screen. This isn’t the making for a classic.

Final Thoughts

All this to say, though I love Yara Shahidi, I didn’t love this film. It’s enjoyable but lacking in character development and humor. I definitely preferred the book. But don’t just take my word for it, go out and see it for yourselves!

Have you seen The Sun is Also a Star?

Have you read the book?

What are your thoughts?

What movies are you looking forward to seeing?

Let me know in the comments, let’s chat!