Book vs Movie | The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)

Release Date: February 20, 2015
Cast: Mae Whitman, Bella Thorne, Robbie Amell
Director: Ari Sandel
Movie Trailer: YouTube

A couple weeks ago, I posted my review of the book The DUFF: Designated Ugly Fat Friend by Kody Keplinger. I read it without knowing a movie had recently been released based on the book, and later found they were still showing it at the $2 theater nearby, so I dragged my boyfriend along to watch it with me. If you've read both, you'll know there are a few differences between the two.

Cast: I think what I liked best about the casting was that Mae Whitman is actually unattractively attractive. She's definitely not the prettiest girl in the movie and that's exactly the point right? But I couldn't help but like her, unlike how I felt about Bianca in the book. In the book she's kind of mean and bitchy, while in the movie she's sort mostly awkward and goofy. Wes also was another favorite in the movie, rather than the book. I thought he was a jerk in the book and he never grew on me, I didn't get how Bianca could even want to be with him. But in the movie Wes (Robbie Amell) is not only completely hot (even more so now that I have found out he is a few months older than me ;) ) but he's not so bad. Sure, he's still the one who calls Bianca "The Duff" but he's not being mean. More matter-o-fact and is actually a pretty nice guy who isn't a man whore and using Bianca to sleep with. Other than that, Bella Thorne plays the evil popular girl who is a totally new character along with an almost pointless supporting teacher played by Ken Jeong.

Plot: The stories take a few different turns. In the book, Bianca lives with her an alcoholic dad, gets called "The Duff," obsesses over it, sleeps with Wes to forget her problems, etc. In the movie though, we get a little more lighthearted and fun version of the story. Bianca instead lives with her mom who wants to try dating, and after Wes calls her "The Duff," she focuses on changing the way she looks with help from Wes in exchange of helping him with his classwork.

Verdict: The movie was exactly the way I figured the book would be, but like I said in my book review, I thought the book was more dark than lighthearted. I definitely enjoyed the movie a lot more than the book, and would completely recommend it as a fun, fuzzy film to watch this or any other summer, especially if you like movies set in high school (10 Things I Hate About You, anyone?)

If I had to pick one...

The movie definitely, which I think, is a rarity since the books tend to be so much better. But I thought the movie was a lot funnier and overall, enjoyable.