ABSOLUTELY 0 CHARACTER DEVLPMT IN THE 1ST 45 MIN. UNLESS YOU READ THE BOOK YOU HAVE NO IDEA OF THE DEPTH OF INFLUENCE EACH OF THESE CHARACTERS HAD ON EACH OTHER, NOR THE INFLUENCE SAVANNAH HAD ON JOHN'S RELATIONSHIP WITH HIS DAD. SUDDENLY THESE TWO CHARACTERS HAVE A DEEP RELATIONSHIP FOR NO APPARENT REASON...MOVIE BORING UNTIL THE MIDDLE -END OF THE MOVIE. EVEN THE RESPECT JOHN HAD FOR TIM WAS NEVER EXPLORED WHICH MADE THE ENDING NON EVENTFUL. SO MANY ASPECTS OF THE BK ARE NOT WELL REPRESENTED IN THE MOVIE-VERY DISAPPOINTING. ONE HIGHLT OF THE MOVIE IS THE ACTING OF THE FATHER AND SON...DIFF STORY LINE THAN THE BK, BUT A VERY OK TAKE OFF FROM THE BOOK.