# Stephanie Plum movie out 1/27



## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

_One for the Money_ hits theaters on Friday, 1/27. I've had my doubts, but this could be good!


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## KTaylor-Green (Aug 24, 2011)

Looks funny! Might be better on the screen than in print.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

Ranger looks good (quite good, in fact) but I'm not sure about the actor playing Morelli.

Happy birthday, TL! Don't birthdays around Christmas suck?


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

One of the "special offers" had been entering to win a trip to the premiere. . . . .


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I think I'll get my mom and my sister to go to the movies.  
Can't wait.  The trailer looks great.
deb


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

I haven't read any of her books, but the trailer does look fun.  Are the books as funny as the trailer seems?


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

Lisa Scott said:


> I haven't read any of her books, but the trailer does look fun. Are the books as funny as the trailer seems?


The books are HYSTERICAL!


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## gina1230 (Nov 29, 2009)

Uh-oh.  I'd better hurry up and read the book.


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## CJArcher (Jan 22, 2011)

4Katie said:


> The books are HYSTERICAL!


I second this!!

I can't wait to see the movie but I'm prepared to enjoy it less than the books. There, that should cover any disappointment I might feel later. I wonder when it comes to Australia...


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

> So has anyone read Explosive Eighteen yet? I'm almost afraid to, thanks to the reviews.


I'm waiting for the price to drop. I put off reading 16 and 17 because of the negative reviews, but I really liked both of them. Maybe it's because I hadn't read any in a long time, but I really enjoyed them.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

T.L. Haddix said:


> So has anyone read Explosive Eighteen yet? I'm almost afraid to, thanks to the reviews.


I borrowed the book from the library so I got to read it as soon as it was released. It was good, probably better than a few have been recently, but the men weren't in the story much. I had heard she was making her choice between Ranger and Morelli in this book, but not so. I would borrow it, not buy it, especially if the price stays high.

I'm looking forward to the movie! Even though it doesn't have the actors I picture as the characters in the book, I think it will be good. I have a group of friends that will want to see it as well as my sisters, so I hope it's good enough to see twice!


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I am waiting for the price to drop on 18 also.  
I agree with the others about the reviews, even though they are negative I really enjoyed them.  
deb


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

4Katie said:


> Ranger looks good (quite good, in fact) but I'm not sure about the actor playing Morelli.


Actually I'm the opposite, I think Morelli looks ok (alright he could be a BIT more badass), but they definitely need a buffer/cuter Ranger.

and OMG GRANDMA MAZUR! ROFL Debbie Reynolds, not quite as old as I picture Gma Mazur as in my head after reading the books, but she's such a hoot she'll be able to pull it off I'm sure!


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

I only read the first in the series so I don't think I am as well versed on this. The trailer looks like a lot of fun. I want to watch that. Will the movie be for like the first book, or cover the whole series I wonder. 

And the actor that plays Morelli, I love him. He was great in Life on Mars and he is pretty badass in Terra Nova. 
Not really feeling the Ranger actor though, I imagined that one more like a big dark hulking biker looking dude I guess  
But I didn't get much of a sense of him anyway since I only read the first book. 

The one I have issues with is Heigl playing Stephanie. I like her allright, but she has been tainted for me since they messed up her character on Greys Anatomy. 

But finally something coming out in the theaters that I like to watch. It seems all that is coming out lately are cartoons, kids movies(family type) and dumb and dumber sequels with the "shoot shoot shoot boom boom blow them up" movie sprinkled in  

Now I can't remember why I never read more than the first book in the series. But knowing now that after 18 books she still hasn't decided on a guy  . 

Will there be a "pick" in the movie you think?


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I loved the first 10 books or so, and the subsequent ones have been pretty formulaic, but are still fun when I need a laugh. The fourth book (_Four To Score_) is my favorite simply because I love the Morelli character.

As for the movie, I'm sure it will be funny, and I'll probably catch a matinee by myself. (My husband would never sit through it, but even if he would, my enjoyment of the movie would probably be diminished. I have a "thing" about seeing movies with people who dislike the movie. I'd much rather go by myself.) Years ago, when I read _One for the Money,_ I had the cast of characters picked out. I don't think anyone that I chose is in the movie, but that has been a long time ago, and my choice for Stephanie, Sandra Bullock, would be too old now. I really wanted Betty White to be Grandma Mazur, but I'm sure Debbie Reynolds will be funny. Morelli, Ranger, and the rest will be ok, but I'll have to re-think the movie that I've been seeing in my imagination.  Katherine Heigl's casting as Stephanie is far from anyone I'd pictured, but she'll be all right.

If you haven't read the books but are looking for some quick, fun reads, give the first few books in the series a try. The first one is the darkest of them all because of the Benito Juarez character, but the subsequent books are just lighthearted fun. (You'll never go to a viewing at a funeral home without picturing Grandma Mazur wreaking havoc.)


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

T.L. Haddix said:


> Atunah,
> 
> I think in the first book, she
> 
> ...


I know what you mean about the hubby. I have laughed like a loon while reading the books, causing him to look at me like he was thinking about building a rubber room for me. In fact, I had to quit reading them while sitting in the waiting room of my endodontist. He was known for keeping patients in his waiting room for 3 hours or more, and people who were getting really mad didn't find any humor in my laughter.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

So they get better after the first book then? It was fluffy read which I like at times. 

Its been so long I read it I don't remember much of the details anymore though. I don't recall her actually picking Morelli in that first book, so I am confused there. 
So is this a triangle type situation for 18 books then?


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

> So is this a triangle type situation for 18 books then?


It is. It's one of my favorite things about the books.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Cool.  . 

Now I wish I could find the early books at the library for ebook lending. Only the later ones are there and the early ones are really expensive on Kindle.  

I'll see what to do there, but I think this sounds like a fun series to read over time. 

As to the movie, I am going to have to wait until its out on DVD. There is no way my hubby will go with me for that and we don't really go to the movies very often anyway. There is no way I would go myself in the theaters we have in the area.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

So I stopped by Dh's work today just before lunch, and while he was busy, I opened a window with the trailer for this on his computer. Then we left for Lunch. He just got home from work for the day, and says, "I watched that trailer you forgot on my computer, it looks pretty funny. When's it coming out, we should go see it."


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

BTackitt said:


> So I stopped by Dh's work today just before lunch, and while he was busy, I opened a window with the trailer for this on his computer. Then we left for Lunch. He just got home from work for the day, and says, "I watched that trailer you forgot on my computer, it looks pretty funny. When's it coming out, we should go see it."


Wow. Treasure that man. That is something my hubby would never, ever say unless he hit his head and had a complete personality change.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Watched the trailer. Nope, not for me. I don't like the way Heigl is playing Steph and I'm not that thrilled with Morelli or Ranger. Steph is not a wink and a grin kind of gal. Anne Hathaway would have been a much better choice.

I'll stick with the books.


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## Kimberly Llewellyn (Aug 18, 2011)

I'm looking forward to seeing it. Should I go with dh? Or the girls? Maybe both? Don't know yet!


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## Lisa Scott (Apr 4, 2011)

I just finished reading book 1 and I love it. (Somehow, I missed jumping on this bandwagon, but hey, now I've got 17 more books I can read back to back!)  

Anyway, I noticed there are so many lines and scenes in the trailer that are not in the book.  She doesn't drive the naked guy in Morelli's car, she drives him in his own car.  She doesn't say "I might like his better" about the gun.  The prostitutes don't demand she bring a snack.  He never says "how do you eat food like that and have a body like that."  He's not in the apartment with her when his car blows up. Her car doesn't get repossessed when she's at her mother's.  I know movies are always a bit different, but I was just surprised how many things are different in the trailer.

Seems like the movie might be a lot more lighthearted than the book.  While the book was funny, the Ramirez character and his badness add a different feel to the book that I'm wondering if we'll see in the movie.  I bet they tone that down.  What do you think?


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## hsuthard (Jan 6, 2010)

Lisa Scott said:


> I just finished reading book 1 and I love it. (Somehow, I missed jumping on this bandwagon, but hey, now I've got 17 more books I can read back to back!)
> 
> Anyway, I noticed there are so many lines and scenes in the trailer that are not in the book. She doesn't drive the naked guy in Morelli's car, she drives him in his own car. She doesn't say "I might like his better" about the gun. The prostitutes don't demand she bring a snack. He never says "how do you eat food like that and have a body like that." He's not in the apartment with her when his car blows up. Her car doesn't get repossessed when she's at her mother's. I know movies are always a bit different, but I was just surprised how many things are different in the trailer.
> 
> Seems like the movie might be a lot more lighthearted than the book. While the book was funny, the Ramirez character and his badness add a different feel to the book that I'm wondering if we'll see in the movie. I bet they tone that down. What do you think?


While the lines might not be in the first book, the sentiments are definitely sprinkled through the series. They certainly didn't give me pause, although its been years since I read the first one. They are all sort of mixed together for me now.


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

Dh, DS#1, and I are going to see it tonight in about an hour.


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## sebat (Nov 16, 2008)

BTackitt said:


> Dh, DS#1, and I are going to see it tonight in about an hour.


Can't wait to find out how you liked it!


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

I'm planning to see the movie next week when I'm in the city/town where I go a time or two a week. The casting isn't at all what I pictured years ago when I first started reading the series, but I'm sure I can find some good things about the movie.  (Back then, I wanted Sandra Bullock to be Stephanie, Steve Buscemi to be Vinnie, Queen Latifah to be Lula, Betty White as Grandam Mazur, Peter Boyle as Steph's dad, and Doris Roberts as her mom. I couldn't make up my mind about either Morelli (my favorite of Steph's men) or Ranger.)  Anyway, I'll go to a matinee by myself so that I won't be stuck there with someone who ends up hating the movie. I'd much rather go alone, find parts that I like, and consider it a fun hour and a half.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

Uh-oh... the reviews are NOT good. Any of them. This is one of the kinder comments:



> Although the film's official running time is listed as 106 minutes, it actually seemed closer to 90. Not that anyone's going to be complaining.


In a positive note, most reviews seemed to like Ranger.

I'm still going, because I bought discounted tickets on Groupon. (That should've told me something right there!)


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

In more encouraging news, fans of the books seem to really like the movie. I'm back to looking forward to it.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

4Katie said:


> In more encouraging news, fans of the books seem to really like the movie. I'm back to looking forward to it.


That's what I'm counting on. I think that most people who love the books will find a lot of humor in the movie, even if the casting isn't what they had imagined. Part of the problem with the casting might lie in the fact that the books are really funny, and the characters appear in each book, so we, the readers, get to know them very well. For many of us who love to picture the action in our imaginations, we've already cast the movie, to some extent, over the months (or years, in my case) that we have been reading the series. It seems inevitable to me that the powers that be who put the movie together may not have been as invested in the characters as have been the rabid fans. Just my 2 cents'.


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Lisa Scott said:


> Seems like the movie might be a lot more lighthearted than the book. While the book was funny, the Ramirez character and his badness add a different feel to the book that I'm wondering if we'll see in the movie. I bet they tone that down. What do you think?


The rest of the series is more lighthearted than the first book - so if the movie is, it's more in keeping with the overall feeling of the entire series than the first book is. And if they went into this thinking/hoping they might make more movies, then that's probably not a bad thing.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Lisa Scott said:


> Seems like the movie might be a lot more lighthearted than the book. While the book was funny, the Ramirez character and his badness add a different feel to the book that I'm wondering if we'll see in the movie. I bet they tone that down. What do you think?


I hope they toned down the Ramirez/Steph/Lula scenes. The first book was considerably darker than the rest, and it appears as if the movie is pretty lighthearted, as you said. The second book (I think) was a bit dark when


Spoiler



Ramirez was in it, but after his character was killed,


 the entire series became silly and fun.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

Has anyone seen the movie yet


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## BTackitt (Dec 15, 2008)

we laughed all of the way through the movie. DH has not read the books and he thought it was hilarious. It definitely captures the fun mood of the books, but while funny, I think there could have been a better actress for Stephanie.. not that KH was bad, just not as good as possible, she didn't quite ring "true". Ranger was better than I feared, they hardly had any chemistry at ALL between Ranger & Steph. More between Steph & Morelli, but this is DEFINITELY a comedy, not a romance.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

The movie was much better than I expected. I think KH did a great job as Stephanie. Ranger was perfect, but I hope he and Stephanie develop some chemistry. I'm still not thrilled with Morelli, but I think he'll grow on me. Lula is perfect. Overall, they did a good job casting, and the movie balanced the serious and scary pretty well.

Isn't anyone else gonna see it?


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

I want to go - either with friends or by myself.  Not sure DH would be thrilled with it (not that I haven't sat through enough of his sci-fi movies in theaters with him...  )


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## dalya (Jul 26, 2011)

I want to go!  I haven't read the books, but the trailer looked jam-packed with action.

I saw Young Adult at the theatre last, and it was surprising.  It was good, though I do crave a more "fun" movie now, especially in the darkness of February.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

4Katie said:


> The movie was much better than I expected. I think KH did a great job as Stephanie. Ranger was perfect, but I hope he and Stephanie develop some chemistry. I'm still not thrilled with Morelli, but I think he'll grow on me. Lula is perfect. Overall, they did a good job casting, and the movie balanced the serious and scary pretty well.
> 
> Isn't anyone else gonna see it?


I've seen it twice, partly because my daughters told me to keep seeing it until I think Morelli (Jason O'Mara) is hot.  I have to admit that he grew on me. I thought that Debbie Reynolds was too young to play Grandma Mazur, but I'm reading _Two for the Dough_ for the third time in about 15 years, and I just read a part near the beginning where Stephanie described Grandma as being 72 years old but not looking a day older than 90. I still think Betty White would have been perfect. She's who I have been picturing for 15 years as Grandma Mazur.

I thought KH did a very good job as Steph, too, and Sherrie was funny as Lula, although she's not nearly as heavy as I pictured Lula.


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## Atunah (Nov 20, 2008)

Since I would have to go by myself, which isn't something I enjoy at all, I will have to wait for the DVD. 
Hopefully it won't be too long. 

And I think Jason O'Mara is pretty hot.  . He was hot in Life on Mars and recently on Terra Nova. He is built quite nicely thank you very much  .


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## Meemo (Oct 27, 2008)

Atunah said:


> Since I would have to go by myself, which isn't something I enjoy at all, I will have to wait for the DVD.
> Hopefully it won't be too long.
> 
> And I think Jason O'Mara is pretty hot. . He was hot in Life on Mars and recently on Terra Nova. He is built quite nicely thank you very much .


I like him too - in both those shows, and he did a very "hot" turn as an arsonist on The Closer.


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

Atunah said:


> Since I would have to go by myself, which isn't something I enjoy at all, I will have to wait for the DVD.
> Hopefully it won't be too long.
> 
> And I think Jason O'Mara is pretty hot. . He was hot in Life on Mars and recently on Terra Nova. He is built quite nicely thank you very much .


I saw one episode of Terra Nova, and liked it a lot. I'm starting the series on Hulu. Not sure if I can find Life on Mars there, but will have to look. I have to admit, he's certainly built like I expected Morelli to be. I have a feeling I'll turn into a big fan of his soon.


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## 4Katie (Jun 27, 2009)

I don't get the big fuss over Jason O'Meara. But then I don't care for Matthew Morrison, either. (I know - I'm seriously in the minority here.)

Now the guy who plays Ranger... Yowzer!


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## Cindy416 (May 2, 2009)

T.L. Haddix said:


> Okay, the movie was good. Not great, like The King's Speech, but really fun. And I wouldn't expect TKS from OFTM.
> 
> Jason O - The weird thing was that his attitude was totally Morelli. But he just didn't look like what I thought Morelli should look like.


I agree about Jason O'Mara having Morelli's attitude down perfect, and, although he isn't at all like the Morelli that I've visualized for the past 15 or so years, I think I could get used to him in more of the movies. (I'm re-reading the first few books just to try to plug the movie's characters into my mental imagery of the people.)


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## marielamba (Apr 21, 2011)

I'm so glad to see the movie wasn't a total disappointment for you guys. I've LOVED the series, and was so eager to run out and see it opening night, but then the reviews...  Like "One Star for the Money"... Yikes. Completely scared me off.  I couldn't bear to sit through it and feel completely, cringingly (a word?) disappointed.

So I sighed and added it to my Netflix queue.

But now that I see fellow die-hard fans had fun with it, I'll try to head out and see it next weekend.  I, too, could definitely use a winter time laugh.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

I'm reviving this thread because I saw the movie on Amazon Prime. I was dead set against watching it. Didn't want to see KH as Steph or O'Mara as Morelli and I was reserving judgment on Sunjata (?) as Ranger. He's in _Smash _now. Besides which the trailer totally turned me off.

Despite all that, I watched it last night. KH wasn't bad, O'Mara just doesn't have that Hot Italian Pepper feel and Debbie Reynolds was all wrong as Grandma Mazur. Just too cute. Still reserving judgment on Sunjata as Ranger.

I think I might have enjoyed the movie more if I hadn't read the book. This was like Plum Lite. I couldn't get invested in the characters or the story. I'm glad I watched it, though. Now I can cross it off my bucket list.


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## KindleGirl (Nov 11, 2008)

Yeah, it was an ok movie. Not as good as the book but they rarely are. They could have made it much better just by casting better people that fit more correctly. Sandra Bullock as Steph and Betty White for Grandma would have been better. Not sure who for Ranger or Morelli, but their choices didn't feel right to me.


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

KindleGirl said:


> Yeah, it was an ok movie. Not as good as the book but they rarely are. They could have made it much better just by casting better people that fit more correctly. Sandra Bullock as Steph and Betty White for Grandma would have been better. Not sure who for Ranger or Morelli, but their choices didn't feel right to me.


Sandra Bullock for sure, but I think Ann Hathaway would have made a great Steph. Definitely Betty White for Grandma. Morelli was so far off it wasn't even funny. Neither was the movie.

Oh, well, at least it didn't cost me anything.


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## Chad Winters (Oct 28, 2008)

Sandra Bullock is probably a little old to match the book now, but would have been perfect in the Speed days


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## Gertie Kindle (Nov 6, 2008)

Chad Winters said:


> Sandra Bullock is probably a little old to match the book now, but would have been perfect in the Speed days


Yes, which is why I suggested Anne Hathaway. KH looked like a constantly surprised poodle.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I watched it recently on Amazon Prime also.  Had the exact same opinion!!  
I'm glad I watched it and I'm glad I didn't pay to watch it. 
deb


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