"Literary filmmaking stands out as a particular bright spot," Word & Film observed in showcasing its choices for best literary adaptations. "Over the past few years, Hollywood has increasingly turned to books for its most profitable and/or substantive releasee," W&F wrote, adding: "What sets these films apart from other impressive feats of book-based filmmaking has less to do with any act of faith to the source material and more to do with the bold departures and betrayals these films take in the service of capturing something more intimate and idiosyncratic. Each book, to some degree, functions as a launching pad for themes and ideas as personal to each filmmaker as anything they might have dreamed up themselves."
