Fat Kid Rules the World vs. Sherlock
May. 6th, 2013 08:12 pmJust finished watching the movie adaptation of Fat Kid Rules the World, based on the novel by K.L. Going that I read in high school. I remember it as being possibly the funniest book I’d ever read, featuring refreshingly taboo topics and very loveable characters. Seriously, I remember I was sitting outside in the car with the windows rolled down reading this book while my parents ran some errand, and I was laughing so hard that someone actually came up to the window to ask if I was okay because it sounded like I was hyperventilating.
The book features a high-school-aged main character, Troy Billings, who is depressed to the point of suicide and obese. He is rescued from a suicide attempt by Curt McCrae, a high-school dropout and druggie who has troubles at home. Curt decides that Troy will become the drummer for his new band, Rage/Techtonic, and in this manner they both find ways to save each other.
It’s not until watching the movie adaptation that I realized how many similarities the initial situation and characters have with BBC’s Sherlock adaptation. Though the comparison isn’t perfect, I see Troy as being similar to John Watson and Curt as being similar to Sherlock Holmes.
( Musings about characters in both stories )
Anyway, there’s something about this dynamic in both stories that I love. They’re connected by near-death experiences from the start of their relationship, end up closer than best friends (more like brothers or even lovers, if you prefer), and really complete each other and need each other. If anybody knows other relationships like this in books or TV or movies, please feel free to drop me a line. I love it. :)
The movie is on Netflix at the moment, and Curt’s name is changed to Marcus for some reason (probably too close to Kurt Cobain, the character he’s probably based on), which confused me at first. But it’s very entertaining, if not nearly as funny as the book it was based on, so check it out if you’re interested!
The book features a high-school-aged main character, Troy Billings, who is depressed to the point of suicide and obese. He is rescued from a suicide attempt by Curt McCrae, a high-school dropout and druggie who has troubles at home. Curt decides that Troy will become the drummer for his new band, Rage/Techtonic, and in this manner they both find ways to save each other.
It’s not until watching the movie adaptation that I realized how many similarities the initial situation and characters have with BBC’s Sherlock adaptation. Though the comparison isn’t perfect, I see Troy as being similar to John Watson and Curt as being similar to Sherlock Holmes.
( Musings about characters in both stories )
Anyway, there’s something about this dynamic in both stories that I love. They’re connected by near-death experiences from the start of their relationship, end up closer than best friends (more like brothers or even lovers, if you prefer), and really complete each other and need each other. If anybody knows other relationships like this in books or TV or movies, please feel free to drop me a line. I love it. :)
The movie is on Netflix at the moment, and Curt’s name is changed to Marcus for some reason (probably too close to Kurt Cobain, the character he’s probably based on), which confused me at first. But it’s very entertaining, if not nearly as funny as the book it was based on, so check it out if you’re interested!