I read the book before going to see the movie.the book was strange but it was ok.this however is a overrated movie with a highly predictable performance by Tom Hanks.this movie was both pointless and how it managed to defeat pulp fiction at the oscars well only the academy know that one.i hated this movie with a vengeance i saw this the same day as the fantastic The Lion King.After the highs of Disney came the Lows of Hanks.a truly pathetic movie.