this is going to hurt When a TV adaptation of Adam Kay’s This Is Going to Hurt, a memoir about Kay’s time as a junior doctor, was announced, I was excited yet apprehensive. The book managed to be both hilarious (my copy is crammed full of post-it notes, marking the parts that made me laugh out loud) and utterly heartbreaking, and I was concerned that this specific tone would get lost in adaptation… however it not only delivered but surpassed my expectations. Ben Whishaw portrays Adam brilliantly, and whilst the book consists of diary entries, the BBC series evokes this style by frequently breaking the fourth wall, with Whishaw commanding the camera with his sardonic take on events. The adaptation also allows for a wider perspective, and we get to know more hospital employees – Ambika Mod gives a standout performance as trainee Shruti, a character who will stay with me for a long time. Crucially, the show presents normal, sometimes flawed individuals, trying to do their jobs in impossible circumstances. Just like its source material, This Is Going to Hurt made me laugh and cry, often in quick succession. And above all, like the book, the show is a love letter to the NHS and why we should protect and cherish both the institution and its workers. Erin Zammitt, Print Copy Editor
the great gatsby From the captivating opening to the heart-wrenching ending, both reading and watching The Great Gatsby is an experience I wish I could relive for the first time. Though the 2013 film does not completely match the quality of the book, it comes close, especially considering the great shoes to fill when retelling literary genius Fitzgerald’s narrative. Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation, while maintaining the key elements of the plot, incorporates new angles on characters. Some discrepancies between the two are as minor as how the openings are framed, with the film presenting Nick at a doctor’s office, as if retelling his tale as a form of therapy, whereas in the novel he simply narrates his past. To create tension, a slightly more dramatic plot is followed in the film; Tom is seen to encourage violence and Daisy seems that extra bit clueless as opposed to careless. While the images of certain characters are not picture-perfect, the overall piece is beyond brilliant. The cinematic experience takes us speeding through 1920s New York: the overflowing liquor, lavish parties, loud music, and the quite literally roaring streets. The hedonistic lifestyle of this age is presented like a fever dream, with the lively music tying it all together so seamlessly. I hope that as you finish reading this article, you will not be a beautiful little fool (unlike Daisy) and will add The Great Gatsby to your watchlist. Image: Heartstopper, Netflix, 2022. Illustrations: rawpixel.com.
Anabel Costa-Ferreira 49