Recently in my English class, we concluded our Julia Alvarez author study by watching the movie adaption of one of her most popular books, In the Time of the Butterflies. The book is based off a true story from the Dominican Republic and the movie is very accurate with what they portrayed. But I must say, In the Time of the Butterflies did not impress me.

The movie follows the Mirabal sisters with more of a focus on Minerva, and the setting is in the Dominican Republic under the rule of the dictator. Minerva and her sisters work to create a rebel group to rise up against the tyrannical government that Rafael Trujillo, the Dominican dictator, has implemented. The sisters are nicknamed “the butterflies,” as they work to escape the government and are supported by their family and community. The sisters are shown as admirable and brave young women.

Throughout the whole movie, I felt that it was fast-paced and hard to follow. I felt myself constantly having to get caught up with what was happening during each of the scenes; and after the movie, I had to ask for an explanation of what I had just watched. I wish that the film was slowed down a bit and explained more of what was happening and why; it was all just a bit confusing. Aside from that, though, I thought that the acting was entertaining, and the overall plot was intriguing. I enjoyed how they produced the movie with such accuracy and authenticity in the casting, music, and set.

I feel that we lost a lot of plot explanation through the book to movie transformation and that saddens me, considering what the story is. I suppose that in order to truly understand the story of the Mirabal sisters, reading the book would have to be the better option. In the Time of the Butterflies is a good movie if you don’t mind having to work your brain a bit while watching in order to figure out exactly what is going on.