I was so excited to hear that this book was being adapted into a film! And when I saw what a strong cast it had, I was even more excited.
The excitement passed about 15 minutes into the film. In it, Birdy is a far cry from the spunky young heroine from the book. She is whiny and selfish, and not much else. Bella Ramsay does a good job with a one-note character. But the script loses all the humour of the book.
An excellent supporting cast is pretty much wasted here, and I just found myself wishing it was over. The ending was preposterous and unsatisfying after suffering through almost two hours of lacklustre story.
Do yourself a favour and read the book. The characters are better, brighter and I think you'll find it an all-around a more enjoyable experience.