I saw the movie, I knew what I was getting myself into, it's bleak, but somehow it gives me hope. Maybe it's just the reminder that despite everything else, the plants are still growing. We aren't eating each other yet, and that's a cold comfort. But I think that the book--moreso than the movie--gives you the impression that the boy would not go on without his father, so when he does, almost without hesitation, it's surprisingly uplifting.