SELF IMPROVEMENT

something borrowed Film adaptations rarely live up to the books that inspire them, even under the best of circumstances, and few genres seem to highlight this more than the unfortunately named "chick lit."



The highs

"The Devil Wears Prada"
The definitive chick lit success story, "Prada" injects Lauren Weisberger's 2003 fictionalized tell-all of her time working for Anna Wintour with the star power of Meryl Streep and Anne Hathaway, resulting in a mainstream movie that won over most critics and bested box office expectations.

"Bridget Jones Diary"
Solidifying Renée Zellweger as one of the biggest female stars of her generation, it's "Diary's" leading men that makes it an Anglophile's dream come true.

"Anywhere But Here"
We did not read Mona Simpson's book of the same name, but if you're ever interested in watching some absolutely stand-out acting, add this mother-daughter drama starring Susan Sarandon and an 18-year-old Natalie Portman to your Netflix queue.

"Fried Green Tomatoes"
Mary Stuart Masterson and Mary-Louise Parker form the friendship of a lifetime (with intense lesbian overtones) in the Depression-era South, while Jessica Tandy, in one of her last roles, tells the story of their bond to a discouraged and neglected Kathy Bates, helping her find her happiness in the process -- and making us cry more than John Boehner at a puppy funeral.

"Waiting to Exhale"
The big screen iteration of the Terry McMillan book, "Exhale" marks the pinnacle of Whitney Houston's career. ("Donald's downstairs?" "Donald is downstairs.")


The lows

"Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood"
Rebecca Wells' "Sisterhood" ranks among the top-selling chick lit books of the past two decades, so when it finally became a movie 8 years after its 1996 release, we were wildly underwhelmed. Striving for the parallel storytelling of "Fried Green Tomatoes," the movie feels long and silly, with little more to offer than the dependably brilliant Ellen Burstyn.

"Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason"
Lightening did not strike twice for the "Jones" franchise.

"Eat, Pray, Love"
We'll Pass, Thanks. Elizabeth Gilbert's Oprah-approved tome ended up being a shallow, lifeless mess under the direction of "Glee" maestro Ryan Murphy.

"Someone Like You"
In the entirely unscientific adaptation of Laura Zigman's "Animal Husbandry," stars Ashley Judd and Hugh Jackman suffer on screen for 97 minutes of bad writing and zero chemistry.

"Confessions of a Shopaholic"
Worst recession marketing ever.