What The Difference Between Dear John Movie & Book?

Now just bear with me because I found plenty of differences. These are just the ones I can remember off the top of my head or the ones that were not already mentioned. In the book, Savannah has brown hair.  In the movie, Randy offers to jump in after the bag while in the book he tells her to forget about it. Also, in the book, Alan is Tim's brother, not his son. The only sex scene in the book happened in Savannah's apartment (which the movie left out completely), not in her parent's barn. When John teaches Savannah how to surf, she nails it on the first try unlike the movie where it shows her struggling repeatedly. Also, in the book John shows Savannah the "strange restaurants" , not vice-versa. John never reads his dad a sad letter and the coin that they treasured was not the same. In the book, the special coin was a buffalo nickel that John had found at a coin conference. In the movie, it is a "mule" that John was given by accident. The movie leaves out the only photograph of John and his father. In the movie John talks about lack of internet while in the book he says that the army was very good about making sure there was internet access no matter where they were. In the book, John keeps the last letter Savannah wrote to him. In the movie, he burns all of the letters. Hope this was helpful!

I personally liked the book much better.. These are the differences that I found when watching the movie....
Book
1- Tim is Alan's brother and Tim is Savannah's age.
2- Savannah and John's first date was to the church.
3-The major love scene was on campus where Savannah attended not the barn.
4- Savannah and Will lived in his parents house not hers and his parents died in an automobile accident.
5-Savannah feel in love with Tim after John had reenlisted.
6-Tim got sick after they were married
7- Savannah's personality was not at all the type to use the GD word in the scene with John at the house while Tim was in the hospital.
8- Tim and John talk in his hospital room not in the lobby.
9- Tim DOES NOT die
10-John moves into a home overlooking Savannah and Tim's place but never bothers her again.
11- John never helps with the habitat house.
These are several differences. I was more or less disappointed in the movie since they changed so much.... They could have left most of this the same and it would have been soo much better.

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I just saw the movie now and it has been a long time since I read the book.  I couldn't remember all the differences until reading the posts above but now it all came back to me.  I liked the movie and I think it is because I had forgotten so much of the book.  The book was definitely better and I also wonder why they had to change so many little details.

In the book john never gets shot.  His father doesnt die a few days after the heart attack, john puts him into the nursing home, goes back to the army, then his father passes away.  In the movie savannah tells john to leave and in the book john leaves on his own without saying goodbye when he sees savannah hugging allen and telling him everything will be alright with tim.  And at the very end of the movie when john and savannah meet at the restaurant, that doesnt happen in the book, in the book john decides to leave savannah alone and let her be happy with her life with tim and allen .

I honestly haven't seen the movie yet but it seems as though the book is much better. That's only my opinion. I mean I would say that "Dear John" is one of the best books I've ever read considering I did it in just two days. That's how in to it you get. It's one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read in my life. You got to read it till the end though to understand my point. I doubt I'll like the movie as much as the book. Why do people have to do that? Why do they have to turn a great book into a blah movie. Honestly this is like "My Sister's Keeper" over again. Anyway, I know this didn't answer your question but I just wanted to share my opinion. Peace out :) .

Also, when John comes home, he goes into a bar in his uniform, then asked about Savannah to get her address, drops some change in a jar that was for some "cancer benefit" for someone but he didn't even notice who.  He camped out and watched her like a sniper for a bit from the trees on the ridge, then came down to talk to her.  Hollywood had to make it a happy ending, no one would be happy seeing it play out how it actually would in REAL life!  Thanks Nicholas Sparks for being REAL!!!

Their Characters

I also agree with the person above. Every book they turn into a book , the movie is always crap it seems like! Just my opinion tho!

I saw the movie first but once I read the book it was so much better. Everyone above are so right. Those were the once I noticed too.