I’m glad to be back here on the Zone again, but not glad to be back to the real world. I had too much fun in Anaheim. For those of you who are interested, I just posted my encounter on the Porch.

So on with the discussion.......

Compare the book Roux to the movie Roux. Try to forget for a moment that Roux was played by Johnny (This will be tough for me after having just met the man. And this pic probably doesn’t help either.) Now which Roux did you prefer?

The movie, most definitely. He was much kinder and gentler, and more understanding of the feelings of others. The Roux in the book had such a huge chip on his shoulder, he was difficult to like. I'm sure that was to show the damage that was done to him by society, but still, as a character, I liked the movie Roux better.

It is difficult to separate out that he was played by Johnny, because when I think of the movie Roux in my mind, that's who I see - and he's so drop dead gorgeous, how can you NOT prefer him????

welcome back Liz,glad to hear you have met Johnny,I will read your story later.

About the differnce between the book Roux and movie Roux,I think even played by a other actor the caracter was written nicer in the screenplay than in the book.
movies are simpler in good or bad because Vianne liked the gypsies the gypsies had to be likebale for the audience....and likebale he was

greets,
es

Welcome back, Liz!

I liked Roux from the movie better. I expected to like him in the book because I had seen the movie first and it was Johnny who played him! I found myself making excuses for the Roux in the book because I wanted to like him, but he wasn't the same.

I found him to be more understanding, romantic and down to earth in the movie. I never really understood his character in the book and I found it hard to relate to him.

I agree, not sure if he was written like that but Roux in the film was so laid back, nothing really bothered him that much whereas the book Roux was just so prickly. I know he seemed different again in Blackberry Wine much more at ease .

Loved your encounter story, Liz! How lovely to have the movie Roux standing right in front of you and be able to just drink him in... Like cait, I tried to like the rather surly book Roux, but finally coudn't see Johnny in him anymore and couldn't relate to him.

Of course I loved the movie Roux better, and even when I read the book, I was thrilled that in the movie, which I feel is like part two of the book, she fleashed out the character and made him more likeable, well you could say loveable!

I felt so bad for Roux of the book, he was sad and so stained by his experiences.

Glad you got to meet Johnny Liz! And cannot wait for DITHOT's story, very cool for you both!!

Glad to see you all here! I expected to like him in the book, also. I, too, tried to make excuses for him and kept hoping we would see major changes in him before the book ended. His character was the only thing I did not like about the book.

Welcome back, Liz! Loved reading your encounter story and I am so glad that you NoodleMantras got to meet the man. I'm looking forward to hearing DITHOT's story too.

Edit: Welcome back, DITHOT! I just read your story and looked at the pictures up there. All I can say is, "Wow!" I imagine you both will be thinking about that day for a long time.

Roux in the book was such an angry person. Whatever had happened to him in the past cast such a large shadow over the rest of his person. It's hard to dig beneath that to get at who he really is underneath.

Roux in the movie is a kinder person, not so aloof and concealed. And he's more romantic, but that could just be my subjectivity creeping in there.

Not only was he more romantic in the movie, but his romantic focus was on Vianne, not Josephine.

Yes, and just when I had reconciled myself to the book Roux being focused Josephine, he sleeps with Vianne! How unromantic is that!

You got that right, Fansmom.

welcome back our travelling Noodlemantras! don't come down from cloud nine too soon!

I don't usually go with the flow but I too prefer Roux of the movie to Roux of the book - the only redeemable quality of the book Roux is that he 'was there' for Armande so that she could die at home on her own terms - also - I prefer Roux of the movie 'coming back' to start a family with Vianne to the Roux of the book 'leaving' Vianne with an expanding family (I appreciate he doesn't know about it but ...) -

having been away from most of the Chocolat discussion - I'm not sure if this sould have been said earlier but someone said that the Roux of the book the only thing they DIDN'T like about the book - I also didn't like Reynaud of the book - too absolutely full of himself and I couldn't find a single grain of faithfulness in him (come to think of it I didn't like him in the movie - too simple, too innocent, too able to be manipulated, too silly) -