I'm in a somewhat similar boat to you -- I find the movie a bit too tedious. I've seen it thrice, and enjoy specific sections of it, but it just doesn't do anything for me. I think it may be because I left it until too late to watch it, and by then I'd already encountered a LOT of 2001-influenced sci-fi. By which time, very few of the concepts or examinations within the movie struck a chord inside of me.

Having said that, I REALLY liked the book, and would recommend that you give it go!

(p.s.: it's BS that you got downvoted for stating a contrary opinion in a measured, reasonable manner -- hopefully my upvote cancels out the haters!)