I remember reading the book, thinking "This is a script already, they're gonna make a movie and Tatou and Reno are gonna be the French people, and either Clooney or Hanks is gonna be the lead." My money was on Richard Attenburough for Teabinge, though.
Didn't like it either. Will probably work better as a movie, but I'm so sick of the whole concept I probably won't see it.