Running with Scissors...the contradiction

***SPOLIERS***

I recently finished the book Running with Scissors by Augesten Burroughs. I loved it. His writing style is similar to David Sedaris who I'm a huge fan of. The book is basically a memoir of when he was 10-16 or so. His crazy mother ends up passing him off to her ecentric psychologist to live. In this household is his wacky wife Agnes - a hunchback, daughter Natalie whose a bit overweight, Hope his favorite daughter who has some oddness of her own, Valerie who ends up living with gypsies, a little one they call Poo, & Julie who only makes a brief appearance. Other characters include his alcoholic father, his lover Neil (who hears voices), his mother's lover Fern whose the pastors wife, and her later lover Dolores a young african american woman about 30 years younger. Augusten is also gay. Now, this may seem like a fucked up situation - which is surely is, but the way he writes and re-caps is hilarious! I was laughing my ass off most the book. He shocks you, the book takes fuuuuucked up turns yet keeps that humor to it. I appreciated that he took this absurd childhood of his and made a brilliant story out of it. I sincerly loved it and highly recommend it.

SO then yesterday - the movie Running with Scissors was on HBO. I thought - "Cool! I just finished the book, lets watch the movie!". Well. Its COMPLETELY different!!!!! Its not funny at all! Now - I have to give props to the cast - everyone was outstanding in thier roles, but I'm sorry they took the whole context of the book and threw it out the window. They also cut half the characters and some of the best chapters from the book (I can sort of understand this, as it always happens when making a book into a movie). But even some of the characters were not like described in the book. The main one being Natalie. I read her as chubby and somewhat odd. Evan Rachel Wood played her in the movie - and I'm sorry - she's thin and gorgeous. Her character was completely changed around. They also focused alot more on the mother (Annette Benning) instead of Augusten himself. After the movie ended I was just in utter shock. The movie wasnt bad persay, but it wasn't like the book at all, and it was such a bummer! I had to vent.