As a 14 year old girl who recently lost her grandfather to cancer this movie took its' tole on me, but I was also very distracted by how completely different it was from the book. I think most people make comments saying that they couldn't stop watching it because it was so incredible the obstacles that this family faced. I cried throughout the entire movie, however the book is so much easier to relate to, and at the same time SO much harder to try to imagine what they had to go through. It really tries to place you in their shoes. I think if you are trying to get the full effect of the movie and the message the author was trying to send you NEED to read the book. LIVE, LAUGH, LOVE. =]