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I just finished the book the other day and went immediately to the movie. Sadly, I was disappointed. The movie is just kind of ... there. It's slow. Nothing really happens, it just moves from event to event to event through the characters' lives.

It feels like a direct port of the book, for which it suffers. There are parts where the dialogue just does not land properly, at all. It really needed someone to have a better go at the screenplay. Having said that, you can also see where parts from the book have been snipped and shortened, which makes them feel that much more obvious and makes the whole thing feel choppy.

Ultimately it feels like a pet project, like somebody read the book, said "I'll option that", and just put it straight on screen. When people talk about great book-to-movie translations, that's not what they mean.

I loved seeing Kunal as a main character. As I'm recovering from hand surgery, I'm digging into movies I don't normally watch.

I will now seek out this book to read. I feel because it was in a movie setting I may have missed some little details from the book.

There was solid acting in this movie. I do have to say David Arquette did some brilliant acting. I loved Lucy Hale and Christina Hendricks, but their characters and the teenager's character were not really fleshed out.

If you are in need of tears and laughter, this is the story for you. Some reviews call it Hallmarkesque. It isn't quite the Hallmark story you're used to watching. There is more here. It probably would have done better in a limited series form, so that these actors could have had more time to move within these characters. All in all I gave this an 8/10. Critics didn't dig it, but the viewers did. That is the most important part of story telling. Does your audience engage? I did.

The performance were all ultimately very good, but I found the first few scenes clumsy and I nearly abandoned it. It improved about 10 minutes in, and I'm glad I stayed with it because it was a nice movie with a tender story. All the leads were solid, but I must say I thought David Arquette was absolutely superb. It's worth watching. The scenery was beautiful, and the running scenes well-shot. I hadn't read the book, so I can't speak to whether it captured the author's tone, but since the author was a producer, is suspect that it was well-adapted. If you're looking for action and a fast pace, this isn't for you. If you enjoy a good story with relatable characters and a somewhat believable scenario, it's a good movie.

Like others, when the film started I assumed yet another Hallmark movie, which could mean anything from utter rubbish to a really good watch.

As it turns out it was a really good watch and despite not thinking much of the first 15 minutes, I soon sank into it and realised I was watching a fabulously crafted film.

All of the actor put in a good effort but the story is one that every one of us can relate to in some way.

Nothing lasts forever except stories. Love comes and goes, renews and dies, just like hate. Good times turn to bad times and vice versa, dreams are sometimes realised and sometimes squashed, and people enter and leave our lives.

But stories always remain.

Absolutely loved this film.

I have never left a review but felt compelled to do so when I saw the poor reviews from critics. Often times I don't agree with them and feel that they are trying to prove a point or be more critical. This did not have a "Hallmark" feel to it as the acting was far superior especially from the main character. The writing was good and it's a good story. That was an enjoyable way to spend a couple of hours. The scenery/locations are nice as well. Yes there are no violent or violent sex scenes so if you're looking for that you will have to look elsewhere. But if you're looking for a good plot with some humor and warmth that leaves you with a pleasant feeling afterwards, you have found it.

If you've read Silas Marner you know the story: grumpy misanthrope loses valued treasure, inherits young daughter who replaces it and restores his life. I hope the author of Fikry acknowledges the debt. The NYC literary world-rural New England axis, which forms the setting of this retelling, is pretty tired at this point; you have to be an elite college lit major to think it has any bearing on the real world, but in a movie at least it provides an excuse for beautiful settings.

In the eponymous role Kunal Nayyar is fantastic in every way; I hope this role brings him many more. Lucy Hale is also outstanding, and Arquette is very good. Of the various actresses who played Maya, the youngest were full of energy and charm. As for the rest, they were meh to bad, but it is not clear whether it is the fault of the actors or the writing. Blair Brown as teen Maya was a sad sack and devoid of character; Christina Hendricks as Ismay was self-absorbed, angry, and unlikable; and Scott Foley as Daniel was not at all believable as a successful writer (or even as a human being).

The movie would have been greatly improved had it wrapped up the loose ends quickly after the pivotal event near the end, but instead it dragged everything out under the assumption that anyone cared about those subplots. We didn't.

Most professional critics have been extremely harsh in their reviews of this of this movie. Of course, in my opinion most professional critics are complete morons, who have no clue what it takes for a movie to be truly entertaining or inspiring.

I chose to watch this movie because I am a fan of Kunnal Nayyar from his work on The Bug Bang Theory. To be honest I was expecting to be disappointed in the movie, as so many actors who move on from hit TV shows can never seem to outgrow the characters which made them famous. That is not the case with Kunnal's performance in this movie. He created a very compelling and realistic character in his portrayal of the bookstore owner.

I am not a fan of David Arquette, Christina Hendricks, nor Lucy Hale, but they all did amazing work in this movie, portraying characters which I came to care about, which is not a normal reaction for me to any movie characters. Actually, this is the first time I have ever liked a character played by David Arquette. I believe it is the best work he has ever done. Hendricks on the other hand has played a couple characters which I have thoroughly enjoyed, and this was also one of her strongest yet. Lucy Hale, although I have always considered her a decent actress, has never stood out for me. Hale's performance here was, like her costars, very strong and compelling on a real level. I don't know the names of all the actors who portrayed Maya, but each one did a fantastic job of bringing Maya to life at each age. I found these characters so much more real than any I have ever seen in any Oscar winning movie.

Again, I'm not a professional. Like you, I'm just some poor slob who pays his hard earned money to be entertained, and gets angry when I am scammed out of my money by professionals. I can only offer my opinions as to whether or not I find a movie entertaining on a personal level. So, when I see professionals giving in depth opinions based on production quality, character development, direction, set design, blah, blah, blah, I realize they don't care at all about real entertainment. They gauge movies purely on how much they can show off their knowledge of the industry (or what knowledge they believe themselves to have), despite the fact they likely couldn't produce anything worth watching, even if given unlimited budgets and a decade to make something which is even simply tolerable.

In my life I have watched literally thousands of movies, including many of which tried to portray real life. Very few have succeeded in that endeavor. These types of movies generally bore the audience to death before the first 20 minutes have passed. This movie, however, not only succeeds, it could possibly be the best I have ever seen in making you feel it's a true story, without the slow, painstaking attempts at making it feel humdrum.

Some complain the movie jumps around too much, and doesn't dramatize enough using tortured formulaic prose, which attempt to force the viewer into unearned emotional states of caring or despair for the characters. There are no such devices used here, everything is real and earned.

If you are a person who can appreciate a movie which doesn't attempt to manipulate your emotions through overly dramatic monologues and musical scoring, then you should appreciate this gem.

Positives: I like the plot, some lines were really cute, and one character with a mustache won me over easily.

Negatives: Unfortunately, while some lines were really cute, many of the lines felt (unintentionally) awkward and unnatural. And some of the lines that were supposed to be profound or romantic *really* fell flat.

For the plot, while good in concept, it wasn't well executed. Some highly sensitive plot events did not provide the necessary buildup and/or recovery (the biggest negative for me). The story also felt a bit rushed; I think it's more suited to a tv show, or it at least needed more skill to move well as a movie.

Lastly, the characters felt under developed, which was a shame because I think there was a lot of potential there.

Would love to see a remake as a series. With a bigger budget, too, I think it could really be something.

Really excellent film. Touching, clever, great characters dialog, and especially the acting was superb. A good example of how to do character growth well.

Lucy Hale does a great job in her role, but the performance of the male lead, Kunal Nayyar, really does make the film. I now want to try.to find more movie featuring his acting.

The love story is a lot less contrived than most. It doesn't suffer from the same contrived manufactured drama (problems/conflicts) that so many love stories do. The problems that exist make sense given the characters. It's refreshing since I dislike most romantic comedies based on the way they seem to force problems into the story. As a result, in this film it seems less like the characters are following a script. (In reality of course, there is a script, just a much better and more believable one than the average rom-com script.)

Highly recommended!

This dragged so very much. It's a multi faceted forced love story where unlikely pairings become the central narrative. Well acted, so not questioning that (aside from David Arquette but at least on brand) but I don't really feel overly attached to the characters. A man overcoming a devastating loss, immediately let's his guard down and is able to embrace a multitude of life changing events and do so with seemingly less personal turmoil to overcome than i think is played out here.

It's got it's charm and moments but having not read the novel and not having the benefit of the source material, I don't think this makes a splash and for sure a one and done for me.

Raj, from the bang show! Aj vikry runs a bookstore. Ever since his wife died, he's really let himself go. So when a valuable book is stolen, it sets off a chain of events that might just snap aj out of his depression. Life changing events. About halfway through, we suddenly spend lots of time with newish characters, kind of out of the blue. Later, we see how they fit into the story. This is described as a comedy in imdb; at the top of the main page, and comedy is also one of the keywords. But it's not a comedy. It's totally a (good) drama, with ups and downs. Celebrations and much sadness. But that's.... life. Really good performances, and a good story. Very little comedy. Some commentary on the disappearing bookstores. Directed by hans canosa. I liked his "conversations" from twenty years back!

Loved this movie. Great characters and a bit of an intricate story. Very sweet and romantic. Loved the book references.

It may look like a hallmark movie but it is so much more. The story twists and turns but ends up all connected making for a satisfying yet bittersweet ending.

Loved seeing Raj from the Big Bang theory in a starring role. He really carried it off.

The scenes of Alice Island were picturesque and very inviting. The Island Books store was also inviting. All in all I would love to visit. The child actors were very good and sometimes had some good lines.

A great way to spend an afternoon or evening.

I loved the book and hoped the film would do it justice. Makes sense that it did since the author wrote the screenplay! It's funny, sad, heartwarming, sometimes all at once. The leads did a wonderful job and I think their love story is something a lot of people wish upon themselves. This story also has some mysteries in it that are revealed in time, and while this is definitely a romance, it gives all the characters their own stories that blend seamlessly with AJ's journey. Maya is such a cutie and I loved watching her grow up and I can only imagine what the future holds for her. Will definitely be rewatching soon.

Misanthrope A. J. Fikry (Kunal Nayyar) owns a failing book store on a remote island. He has been despondent since the death of his beloved wife. His valuable rare Poe book goes missing. Someone left a toddler at his store. His only friend Daniel (Scott Foley) is a successful novelist. Ismay Evans (Christina Hendricks) is his former sister-in-law. Lambiase (David Arquette) is the local cop investigating his missing book. Amelia (Lucy Hale) is a book salesperson.

This is based on a best selling book. It's very literary. What I mean is that it's probably much better as a book. As a movie, it feels meandering and struggles to fit into the classic three act structure. First, this starts with a pet peeve switcheroo. Lucy Hale seems to be the lead in a single gal quirky romance comedy. It's really Kunal Nayyar's movie. I got faked out and I don't like it. Then there is the book. I know that David Arquette is playing it for laughs, but it just infuriated me. AJ should just tell him that it's worth half a million dollar. I expected more work in the investigation, but that too goes missing for awhile in the movie. Finally, a baby pops up out of nowhere. Again, all of this seems like great fodder for the written page. On the screen, it feels like it's missing something. This movie needs to really sell AJ's bitterness and anger in its introduction. The book should probably be worth less because it's too valuable to be dismissed. Finally, the book should be the climatic reveal. I get the appeal of AJ's ending, but a rewrite may be required.

I love Kunal Nayyar and Lucy Hale, so I was excited to see this movie. It was great to see Kunal in a more serious project. If you liked the book, the movie follows the book for the most part. The little girl, Maya is adorable. She was probably my favorite part of the movie. I loved watching her grow up.

The effects of the changing seasons in front of the bookstore added a nice touch. It was fun to see it take place in Massachusetts because I grew up there and recognized a lot of the scenes from Cape Cod. It was also nice to see more diversity in the cast, especially on Cape Cod. Overall this movie truly captured people coming together who love to read.

Got suckered into watching by all of the 6-7+ star reviews. OMG it was terrible! Hallmark-esqe to the core, only much worse. General plot worked, but everything else super cheesy. Acting was mediocre and storyline transitions were a complete disaster - jumping so quickly from one stage or character to the other, it felt totally disjointed. We only stuck through to the end to see how this nightmare of a movie could find a conclusion. I don't usually write reviews, but if I can save others from wasting two hours of their life on this movie, I will have done my good deed for the day. You can and should watch something else.

I read the novel some years and I loved it right away and it became one of my favorite books, therefore I got excited when I found out that there was a movie adaptation scripted by the original author. I think that obviously the reading experience in this case, you will miss a lot of the rich quotes from thd novel, I still think that the film is wonderfully adapted showing the awesome development of the characters and their priceless interconnection turning the story in something quite magical and worthy to watch. Excellent casting where each one did a great performance nailing their characters.

Excellent from beginning to the end. I was captivated. I could not look away. It is not because the story was fast-paced or had a lot of action. It was just so well written, a very interesting story along with very good actors. It made me feel that I was part of the little community and very close to the family involved. Not many movies can do that.

Thank goodness it was not a horror film like all films that have been forced upon us for the last few years. It is very, very difficult to find a film that is not a horror. How did that kick even start? I assume it is because there are too many followers and not enough leaders...as usual. Please film makers...try to be unique, different from the crowd, outstanding...try it and it may get you somewhere...or even remembered, like this movie will be. It's a great one.

Perhaps it is just me, but for a story that has such a direct alignment with human sentiment, it is almost impressive how little this film gets you to care about any of the characters. Instead, what you get is a shot-by-shot rendition of a fuel-sparked life approached as if you were on a speeding subway that was making all its scheduled, necessary stops but is never going to let you off the train for even a quick look around. You, of course, get the gist of what is outside the window, and even think to have a lay of the land, but in the end the train is back on the move before anything inspiring can occur, and the next stop/event is at your eyes to take the space of the previous place.

It is just odd to me to see a film what has this direct metaphorical take on life (ie. The coloring on the Poe book) that it is the intricacies of small details which perhaps add value to things, or at least they do not deter from it, and yet either the author (I have not read the book--admittedly) or the film producers seem hyper focused on cramming all these massive, interconnected events down your throat as if it were some mystery novel in place of just simple literature. It truly is a detriment that smells of writing which has been inspired by someone who has watched too many television series and is therefore trying to add enough wrinkles into a plot to keep the book in the readers hand against all competition, all the while referencing these more marvel works of written works as if there were somehow equivalent.

On a positive note, I think most of the performances were pretty solid, with the supporting roles doing there best to portray a very detailed side story with a very minimal screen time, but many do unfortunately tend to feel more like cliches (particularly the Daniel character). I guess, summed up, it just could have been better, even while the base writing has a story that probably does too much in less than 300 pages, the producers of this film really mucked up the pace and choice of content to get any real depth out of story.

The movie "The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry" follows the story of A. J. Fikry, a bookstore owner who is facing difficulties after the loss of his wife. However, when a sudden surprise arrives at his bookstore, it brings new opportunities for love and a fresh start in life. The movie lacks originality, full of clichés like characters that always start off as boring, ignorant, and despicable then suddenly become sweet and friendly, similar to the movie "A Man Called Otto". The text is awful and childish which doesn't help the poor performances of the main actors. The film does not take off and leaves us feeling indifferent toward the story of A. J. Fikry's life.

Any artificial sweetener sweeter than this, and as sweet may be daft and silly in u.s. Tv-dramas, this one does it by unbelievable twist and takes, and most of all it has avoided using the gold and exclusive glitter of perfectness that most lifetime and hallmark films is built around.

Its a film about life and all its love, sorrow, pain and loss, set in beautiful locations at and around the cape cod area massachusets, a film that covers most all of the curioras and serendipitous things in life.

The only downdraft i may sense is going even deeper into the prestory of some of the caracters but when my original valuation of this film where 12/10, then the rest must be fairly perfect. Viewed twice in one day, 2nd just to view my wifes reaction to filmaturgic bliss.

Smashing acts, very strong script and basistory, and a fluffydreamlike musical score sent the grumpy old man through and beyond a lifetime. Well worth a look.