This is the story of a young mans quest to find the perfect idyllic lifestyle in a secluded hippy-type commune on a a Thiland beach - only to find that paradise was not what he expected.
It cannot be denied that 'The Beach' is beautiful to look at with the breathtaking scenery of Thailand and, of course, Leonardo DiCaprio looking better than usual.
However, having read Alex Garland's novel the film cannot really compare. Little is made of the quest to reach 'the beach', making it seem like an easy place to find rather than the haven for the privilaged few that it was intended to be. On top of this, a whole character is missed out, sex is added, and most of the Vietnam war references are toned down for the american audience (or so i read).
I do like the way Richard (DiCaprio) gets obsessed with his Gameboy and the game-type scene is amusing. At least he does go a bit mad in some ways which is in keeping with the original story.
But the ending of the film is very powerful - much better than the confused ending that Alex Garland offered. Without giving it away I want to emphasise how good I think it is - worth seeing the film for in itself. The choice that has to be made is a dramatic conclusion and epitomises the moral of the story in a way that really makes you think about what you might want from 'paradise' and how it could (or couldn't) be acheived.
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off topic![The Beach [2000]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65511901.jpg)
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