Think What Pleases You...

...the film!

[insert cheesy music]

okay, but really,
If I were to make "How I Met My Husband" into a film, here's how it'd go down:

PLOT
The plot for this really writes itself into a movie. I think I'd definitely have to make the beginning a little less vague. There would be more back story with Edie's family and the home life. I think that needs a little more detail to make it into a full length. it's not super clear ever why she isn't living with her family anymore. I don't mean to say that I'd answer all the questions, but give a little bit more to work on. everything else I would keep the same, but I'd have to develop the relationships a little more to add time, no biggie. we'd just get to know the husband a little bit better, more than just a line here or there.

POINT OF VIEW
The point of view needs to stay the same for the bulk of the story. the innocence that Edie brings along with her is crucial to the meaning of the work, and I don't want that to change at all. The beginning (backstory) would begin in a third person omniscient, and work closer and closer. Eventually we'd end up with Edie and her point of view. it'd be a first person narrative, but there'd be dialogue as well. I mean, the interaction between Edie and Chris are pretty important. I'd need to add additional POV changes for when Edie isn't around but the neighbor ladies are still talking.

CHARACTERIZATION
Obviously we'd have full physicals on each character. I don't know who I'd have play who though... Probably Ellen Page as Edie. just sayin'. maybe Josh Duhamel as Chris. I don't know. I think mostly the characters would be almost strictly physically characterized. we wouldn't really know much else. their actions too, would give clues into their personality, but not a whole lot. Other than Edie, we wouldn't see a deeper side of any of the characters. Everyone would be pretty face-value. the mailman would get a little bit more characterized though.

SETTING
again, setting won't change much. since I'm not changing plot, it wouldn't make sense for the story to take place anywhere else, except by an open field. the time period would have to stay the same too. I don't think the TSA would be cool with a guy landing his plane in some open field. I'm pretty sure stuff's pretty strict with air traffic now. I'm not really fond of huge changes from books to movies, anyway. I'll keep the neighborhood and all that too. the vision I have for this house is a similar visual that I had for the house in TKAM, too. not that that is helpful to any of you. but the house Edie's in is nicer. upscale. her childhood home is rundown, across town. small town.

THEME
I think the passiveness and innocence of the short story is perfectly suitable for film adaptation, so (surprise) not much is changing here either. I think that when the relationships develop a little more, the theme will be able to come across more strongly though. the MAJOR theme in this is going to be Edie's (and society as a whole's) desire for people think what they like, so long as they are happy. every relationship and every encounter that shows up is going to help reinforce that. not to the extent that we're saying "okay, okay, enough already, I GET IT!" by the end, but it'll definitely be clear. that, and the innocence that the POV reinforces are going to be key.

just of note:
it'll end with a soundless flash-forward of Edie's life after she meets her husband. it'll end with these images and her saying the last line of the story, fade to black.
BOOM. =]