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Based on Ottessa Moshfegh's 2015 novel, the psychological thriller Eileen was released in theaters in December 2023. Ottessa co-wrote the screenplay for the movie, which saw many differences from the original book. The movie sees some key changes in the storyline, including Rebecca's early entry into the plot.
For the uninitiated, the movie is a crime thriller that highlights the hidden social evils of the 1960s. It has Thomasin McKenzie and Anne Hathaway in the lead roles of Eileen Dunlop and Rebecca, supported by Shea Wingham, Marin Ireland, Owen Teague, and others. Directed by William Oldroyd, the screenplay is co-written by Moshfegh's husband, Luke Goebel.
Eileen: The differences between the book and the movie
Readers who have consumed Moshfegh's book can spot the subtle differences between the Eileen book and the movie. For one, unlike in the book, Rebecca was introduced very early in the movie. As such, the individual space that the heroine enjoyed in the book was missing in the movie.
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The viewers missed out on the heroine's relationship with her sister and her explanation of her father's alcoholism. They also could not get the concept of her fantasies and imaginations about her co-workers. This was an important aspect, as writer Moshfegh stated to The Guardian because many interactions between the two leads were imagined by the protagonist in the book.
Also, in the book, the protagonist was represented as seriously bulimic, with detailed descriptions of the various ways she employed to put her condition into action. However, the movie skipped her self-destructive moves.
The ending also saw a twist in the book: after Rebecca killed Mrs. Polk using a gun, Eileen hitched a truck ride to New York City, changed her name to Lena, and got married, changing her identity completely.
However, in the movie, the gun did not kill Lee Polk's mother, and the two girls forced pills into the injured victim's mouth to kill her. The lead character hitched a truck ride and drove down the highway. The rest of her plans were left ambiguous.
An explanation of the relationship between the two leads
Actor Anne Hathaway, who plays Rebecca in the movie, explained in an interview with EW that most of Rebecca's femme-fatale actions were Eileen's figment of imagination. The real Rebecca was the psychiatrist at the jail facility, who possibly did not speak much with Eileen. However, her imaginative mind drew up moments and events with Rebecca.
Her tortured mind and uneventful life bottled up inside her gave her a vivid imagination where she could almost see fictional things happening. For her, the glamorous Rebecca was the answer to all things wrong around her.
This would also explain the unusual situation where Rebecca seemed to invite her into the Polk house. It must have been Eileen who imagined so while going there. She must have felt compelled to do justice to Lee, whom she may have found relatable. As such, she was also abused by her father, as was Lee.
In light of this explanation, the ending of the plot changes completely. Rebecca was not there with her in the basement of the Polk household. Also, Eileen pulled the trigger, drugged the lady, and even managed the body herself. The plan between them about escaping to New York together and Rebecca not showing up is also fictitious.
What are the significant similarities between the movie and the novel?
The lead character left Rita's body in her car as she went off to New York City. This ending is similar in both the movie and the book. If Rebecca was not with her in the basement, then all the criminal moves, from forcibly entering to killing Rita to dumping the body, were done by the protagonist.
Rita's description of Lee's and his father's actions and her response to them play a significant role in the book. The monologue also contributes to the single crime that the protagonist commits. This is the highlight of the book and has been kept intact in the movie as well.
The movie is currently streaming on Hulu.
