The Natural: A Novel by Bernard MalamudMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
90% percent of the time the book is always superior to the movie. Not in this case. The screenplay is a better story than the book will ever be. Hollywood loves a happy ending and in the movie version they give us that. The Hero in his final at bat gives his team a National league Pennant with a lights out home run and all ends well.
In the book Roy Hobbs is not a humble guy, nor a real hero to be admired, in fact the opposite. In real life we see men fail more times than they succeed on and off the field in professional sports today.
Personally I don’t like a story that always ends with rainbows, puppy dogs and happily ever after but in this case since I love the movie so much I wish now I hadn’t picked up the book.
The Hobbs from the movie was a much more likable guy and one you could sympathize with and root for but not in the book.
My image of Roy Hobbs is now forever tainted and he falls into the category of the ordinary instead of the extraordinary. Hobbs story is one we read about almost daily and dismiss as just another dumb jock that only cares about his self interest instead of the team and the game. Skip the book watch the movie.
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