‘Nick & Norah’ Hits the Big Screen
By Rocco Staino -- School Library Journal, 10/1/2008
Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist (Random House 2006), about two high school students who are thrust together for one night of adventure in a Manhattan punk rock club, recently made the New York Times bestseller list and hits the big screen this Friday.
David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
SLJ caught up with the novel’s authors, David Levithan and Rachel Cohn, to talk about the film adaptation of their book.
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Photo: Anna Orchard
How did you feel about having your book made into a film?
David Levithan: While I was, at first, somewhat nervous (this is the first book I’ve ever let be optioned), the minute they signed up Pete Sollett to direct, I was completely reassured. His movie Raising Victor Vargas had always been one of my favorites, and meeting him and his partner, Eva, made me confident that they completely understood the book.
How was the experience?
David Levithan: It’s been, I’m happy (and relieved) to say, an exceptionally amazing experience. The story has always been in the best hands—not just Pete’s but the producers’ and the actors’ and the editor’s—and the result is a movie that I genuinely love. I wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting to like it a lot. But I love it. It’s different from the book, but shares the same sweet spirit. So now I’ve gone from doubting a movie experience will ever live up to my hopes to doubting any other movie experience will be as charmed as this one.
Do you like the movie?
Rachel Cohn: Even if our book had nothing to do with it, I think I would love this movie. It's just a real "feel good" movie in the best sense—purely enjoyable. While things have changed plot-wise from the book, the movie retains the characterizations and basic story arc, and, more importantly, really captures the tone of the book, which I think is truly the most difficult part of an adaptation. I feel extremely lucky and blessed with how the movie turned out, which is really a reflection not on our book, but on the terrific director, cast and producing team. That it was entirely shot on location in NYC, in many of the same places as the book, only adds to the joy.
