In my opinion it was an absolutely awful film. The book is far better, and much darker. The movie comes across as a "Carry On Jacking Up" style romp. I went to the premier of this movie in England and the director was in attendance. He took a Q & A session afterwards and I told him I thought it was rubbish as well. If Ken Loach had been the director we'd have seen a far better adaptation of the book. Incidentally, if anyone likes the book check out "Marabou Stork Nightmares" by the same author. It's by far his best book, although it is panned by most reviewers. He's not a writer I particularly like, but that is a great book.