The Lucky One (2012, U.S.)

Yawn. I haven't really loved any post-2003 Nicholas Sparks books, but The Lucky One made me think that he was heading back in the right direction (though it is awfully reminiscent of Message in a Bottle to be its own story). The movie was kind of eh. If it tells you anything, this is the first Sparks movie that hasn't made me cry. At all. And I am a huge movie crier. Considering the fact that there are some pretty emotional scenes, I have to think that the filmmakers just didn't do the best job bringing it to the screen.

Zac Efron has grown up a lot. I wouldn't say he's the best actor in the world, but he seemed perfect for this role and he was hot. (There, I said it!) I liked Taylor Schilling, but I would have liked her more if she was playing someone like Theresa in Message in a Bottle. She didn't seem too old for this role, but because she seemed way older than Efron, it didn't work so well. It felt kind of Mrs. Robinson. But the kid who played her son was just adorable and absolutely perfect, so that was nice. Then there's Blythe Danner, who can make any movie better!

I liked a lot of the settings, including the treehouse over the river, the rundown place Logan was renting, and the dog kennels. It definitely had a unique feel, and it really helped the flagging plot. It also felt very Southern, in a nice way. I loved the final shot on the road with the sun seeming to set everything on fire. It was truly beautiful.

Obviously this movie has some things to commend it, including casting and setting, but I think the writing and directing must have been pretty weak, because overall the movie felt pretty weak. Still, worth a watch, especially if you're a fan of all things Sparks and/or sappy romance.

Rating: 3.0

Dear John (2010, U.S.)

It's getting harder and harder for me to review movies based on Nicholas Sparks books, because I really find all his recent books (after about 1998) to be underwhelming. This book was one of my least favorite, but I think they did a pretty good job adapting it for the screen. They made the war part of the film more accessible and the feelings of the soldier more apparent.

You couldn't have cast two better people as John and Savannah. Channing Tatum is the actor to play the modern soldier. (See Stop-Loss, G.I. Joe, etc.) And I really like Amanda Seyfriend, which made her un-empathetic character less horrific, at least for me personally.

I'm not sure how true to the book it was. For instance, I don't remember John's father being such a strong character. He was a great addition to the story. I also don't remember the twists at the ending, though they could have been there. Said twists took a sappy romance and turned it into extreme melodrama. I think I'm over that phase of my life, because I was underwhelmed.

Rating: 3.0

The Last Song (2010, U.S.)

Much better than Nights in Rodanthe, didn't hold a candle to The Notebook or Message in a Bottle. Then again, this wasn't my favorite Sparks book either.

A very troubled teenage girl and her brother get shipped off to her dad's for the summer. There she finds her first love and reestablishes her relationship with her father.

The casting was pretty good on this one. Miley Cyrus wasn't that bad, Greg Kinnear was good, the boyfriend was sexy, and the kid who played the younger brother was awesome. I've seen some great child actors recently, it seems.

I think this was very true to the novel, because it too tried to take on too much at once. The combination of the dying father-troubled daughter story and the first love story was just too much. I think the movie did a pretty good, maybe better, job of showing how the girl falling in love helped her open her heart to her father more too.

It was sweet and I was sobbing at the end. Nicholas Sparks, what more can I say?

Rating: 3.5

Nights in Rodanthe (2008, U.S.)

Obviously, I love Nicholas Sparks. I thought the film adaptations of Message in a Bottle and The Notebook were both very good. I went into this one with pretty low expectations, however. First, I don't really like Richard Gere. Second, although I haven't read Nights in Rodanthe in ages, I do remember that it wasn't one of my favorite Sparks novels.

The movie was pretty good, I suppose. Richard Gere was a lot better than usual, and Diane Lane is great, of course. The character that stole the show from those two, however, would be the house where most of the action took place. It was so unique and gorgeous. The North Carolina coast and the hurricane were also breathtaking scene-stealers.

While it was somewhat romantic (inevitably), it felt out of sync. Some parts of the story were painfully extended, while others were rushed through. The stupid guys making all kinds of noise behind me did not help.

Anyway, if you like this kind of movie, you'll like this movie.

Rating: 3.0