Nicholas Sparks is a preeminent romantic novelist who is exceedingly
accomplished in spinning a tale about a man and a woman, the challenges
they face together and apart, add a mind-blowing twist, some astounding
dialogue and a silver lining or closure of some sort and you have what
we call a brilliant Sparks novel. So without a doubt, he will go down in
history along with romantic novelists such as Jane Austen. I guess the
talent comes from the name because Sparks can certainly write about Sparks.
The first two were a tie really sorry, the first aced emotion but the storyline blew it, the second had a mindblowing storyline but the lack of emotion blew it!
#7 DEAR JOHN
General opinion- I think i'm going to describe this movie by what i call a drifter- I love Channing Tatum to the moon and back and the book Dear John is one of the most interesting Sparks books i've read. But the movie was far off. I feel as if it could've been greater if they stuck closer to the book. But instead, there was long periods of time in the film where I was just waiting for something to interest me. It's the story arc that ruined the film for me, which pains me because chemistry between all the actors was on point the whole way through. Also, Tatum's performance was honestly one of the best from a Spark's male lead i've seen! His acting isn't even fair.
Characters- 8/10
John Tyree (Channing Tatum)- In the film Pearl Harbour; there's a quote that says there's nothing stronger then the heart of a volunteer and that is partially what underlies the conflict of the film. John is noble and protective thus feels obligated to stay in the army after all it gave him- that is structure, something that kept him on a straight and narrow path. Throughout the course of the film Tatum was dedicated, protective, vulnerable, noble, heartbroken and conflicted and he mastered every emotion like a pro. In fact he's undoubtedly a 10 out of 10. Anyone else that auditioned never even had a chance- poor buggers!
Savannah (Amanda seyfried)- The beautiful do-gooder who's life is intertwined with another and then wrapped with a series of misfortune circumstances. Seyfried certainly pulls of this character, she seems very natural in this role, only there was nothing very interesting about her character that drew you in. Which is really sad because if you've read the book you'd know that in the book she has a lot of personality. It's like twilight according to the book Bella had a lot of personality only Kristen Stewart couldn't pull it off.
Chemistry- 7/10- There relationship seemed very genuine, you could feel their struggle in trying to survive a long-distance relationship. In all honesty the chemistry was the best part of the entire film. Tatum broke my heart repeatedly with Savannah, with his father. I honestly believe that anyone can be in a scene with Tatum and have matchless chemistry.
I don't even know what to say to acting this amazing! you can't even hear them speak and yet my heart is breaking just looking at them, Tatum especially and you know why? Acting is all in the eyes and Tatum's eyes are tearing me to shreds (Seyfried's are too but Tatum has a weird effect on me he makes me cry so hard that I swear bullets are coming out of my eyes.)
Conflict- 6/10- It exhibits a similar love like that of the Notebook with a
prole guy and Rich girl so clearly social classes is an external
conflict that these two characters face. Also distance and time is certainly a big player in the film that generates quite a bit of conflict as well. Then there is the strained relationship between father and son. In fact, Tatum's most heartbreaking performance in this film was not in having to continuously say goodbye to the love of his life but much rather a man that in many ways was just like him. Then there is the concept of 'Dear John'- Dear John in military terms is basically a letter a girl sends to a guy when she's going to dump him, so that was pretty much foreshadowed from the title.
Structure and style- 3/10- I liked the way in which the film was structured from the letters going back and forth, but the film was just too reliant on the letters. There's a difference between using them to structure the conflict and using them to make the entire film- I just think the line the director and producer drew between these two concepts was just too thin. Costuming suited the beach coastal town and then obviously John's military uniform was befitting of his occupation. The lack of structure meant that the entire film felt a little unstable and the romance became boring as time went on, but Tatum's performance redeemed it and the chemistry between his character and his father showed a conflict that ran longer and deeper then any romance could. It was honestly the bigger more interesting issue in my opinion.
#7 SAFE HAVEN
General note- It's not exactly my go-to Sparks film. I love
the story line, it hits me hard each time with all it's danger, violence
and abuse but the action barely redeems the lack of emotion. I love
Josh Duhamel but he barely redeems the lack of chemistry. This film
isn't very memorable, in fact it's what I call a drifter, it drags on
for so long that as soon as you reach the epic showdown your bored. This
film gives off the impression of being violent but at it's core
there is a very heartfelt message; that love can overcome any darkness
you find yourself in, so surround yourself with good and kind people.
Also we learn that a person's safe haven has nothing to do with the
place, it's people that make a safe haven! However, if there is one
thing I have to say blew my mind it would be the plot twist involving Jo
which I won't spoil yet, but that is mostly owed to Spark's writing not the
producing and directing.
To sum up this film- it's Suspense YAY Chemistry NAY
I
feel as if the romantic thriller genre is beginning to go extinct, so
this film as a revival for this genre was very conspicuous!
Characters- 7/10
Katie (Julianne Houghs) -
This is one conflicted character and Houghs skilfully delivered many of
these characteristics on screen such as Katie's resilience and
resourcefulness. We see the way she carries around her past and how it's
a big part of who she is- why she is always so vulnerable, cautious,
fretful and scared. However, we also see how as she meets Alex she
starts to let her guard down. As a fugitive on the run and desperate
woman Houghs is very convincing especially when it comes to facing the
hard work that comes with rebuilding her life but the problem is the
actress can't emote very well. Nothing about her acting seemed palpable
and it didn't make me feel anything, just watching it made me feel
bland. I mean I've personally felt more emotion whilst watching
documentaries.
Alex (Josh Duhamel)- Duhamel's character
suited him, he had the right amount of incandescent charm necessary for a
male lead in a Spark's film but his character is not in the same boat
as Katie,
I mean obviously here he is in the same boat......
But
what I mean is that his character kind of fades in the background in
comparison to previous Spark's films where there is a balance between
the male and female lead, in fact a lot of the time it feels like his
character came out of nowhere and was an inconvenience for Katie, as if
he was forced to be there. The relationship wasn't genuine. But this is
mostly owed to the writing and producing, I think Duhamel did a superb
job with the ill-scripted scenes he had. His an admirable character in
that his grief over his wife in no way affects his ability to be a good
father. He loves his kids all the same and his strength and the
decisions he makes comes from his love for them. That's why he is so
reluctant to trusting Katie after he finds out that she is a fugitive.
So overall Well Done Duhamel!
Chemistry- 6/10-
As an audience member I became more entangled in the story line then
the actual romance, i've seen Houghes and Duhamel in other films, they
have romantic potential
(Duhamel had it especially in Life As We Know It with Katherine Heigl and Houghes had it in Footloose with Kenny Wormald)
but together the romance was as bland and tasteless as unsweetened tea.
On the other hand, it had it's bittersweet and tear-jerking moments.
Both of them had extreme chemistry in scenes where the kids were
involved, but I think that's owed mostly due to the kids charisma. Also,
the chemistry between Duhamel and the kids was very heartfelt, his love
for his children was undeniable (I felt the conflict between him and
his son very intensely). The chemistry between Katie and her abusive
husband seemed so staged and forced that it looked more comedic then
thrilling. Overall it was too tasteless to ignite any empathy or drive
in viewers.
Anyone ever heard of the song
"make you feel my love" by
Bob Dylan?- well I gotta say Hallstrom (Director of film) you didn't deliver, cause you didn't make me feel there love.
Conflict-7/10-
In a Sparks film the tragedy usually dwells in the future awaiting the
happy couple, yet the conflict in this film arose from the past. So I
suppose Sparks can do something new? This aspect of the film certainly
made it more interesting to watch.
Let's just break down this really poorly constructed drama.....
So she had a detective chasing her SHOCK (Not really), The detective
ends up being her abusive husband SHOCK (really), and Katie's best
friend Jo ends up being the ghost of Alex's dead wife BIGGEST SHOCK
(absolutely mindblowing).
The final showdown between
Katie and her hubby, the corrupt alcoholic detective was actually
ludicrous, it was a long time coming and then came out of absolutely
nowhere. Many interludes featuring the detective in the beginning stages
of the film were annoying because they dragged
on for way too long before we discovered his actual connection to Katie.
However, despite all the above it was still entertaining to watch which
is basically what the producers were aiming for anyway even if it
didn't concur with the rest of the film.
As for the dead
wife ghost I did feel as though there was something suspicious since
Katie was the only one she ever interacted with, but damn I was not
expecting that, talk about a plot twist. This was certainly an
indication of Spark's shrewdness.
Structure and style- 4/10-
I commend Sparks on creating a thriller aspect to the film that would
bring in more audience members then just the usual hopeless romantics.
However, I think that both the romantic and thrilling aspects of the
film came around slowly so by the time any significant moment came I was
bored. Thus, I said it before and i'll say it again, this film is a
drifter so the entire pace of the film is tedious. The costuming was
casual which went nicely with the backdrop of a seaside coastal
community. The conflict was constructed very poorly. It was like a
photo
slideshow, there was no real flow to the flashbacks of the past or the
present interludes of the detective. It just cut from image to image
especially the interlude in which we finally discover the detective's
connection to Katie. Plus, no one is abusive and an alcoholic for no
reason, in one of the flashback's, I would've liked to have learn't the
reason behind the detective's nature, why he went after Katie again and
then tried to kill her. There was just too many unsolved questions for
me.
#6 THE LUCKY ONE
General Note- So this film in terms of mindblowing twists was certainly lacking, in fact the only real twists were that Logan knew how Aces (Beth's brother) died after all and that he was the one that dropped the photograph which seems to be the reason why he died (he lost his lucky charm) and the photograph kept Logan safe instead. Also, the only other real twist was that Keith was actually a decent guy in the end he was actually the hero, which just made it all the more tragic when he died after saving his son :( However, what I like about this film is the chemistry between everyone and the strong message at the core of this film it's that people heal in mysterious ways, there's no time limit or definition on grief, for example YES it's unrealistic that someone would travel so far to thank someone for a picture he believed saved his life, but it wasn't about thanking her to him it was the consolation that came with thanking her, it was his way of healing his wounds from the past.
Characters-8.5/10
Logan (Zac Efron)- WOW! highschool heartthrob to the one who makes all the girls sob
and Disney Dude to a seriously sexy brood.
In other words it has been quite the transformation for this guy.
I honestly don't think I had any any problems with his acting, it was on point the whole way through. Natural is his name, he was natural as a marine, as a broken lost man, as a man in love- completely natural presence on screen in addition to being completely engaging. Certainly ranks in the top half of Spark's male leads. yet, he is not in the same boat as Schilling's character,
I mean again here he is in the same boat,
But what I mean is he invades her life, so in this film most of the conflict weighs on the female leads shoulders, with him his presence again seems almost like an inconvenience for her, until she realizes she likes him and then loves him and blah blah blah
Beth (Taylor Schilling)- Certainly one of the more interesting female leads in Spark's films when you take into account the amount of internal and external conflict she is coping with and her situation as a mother, mother's are always more interesting for a love story because there's the whole concept of putting your kids needs above your heart's needs (A very big conflict!). Her emotional delivery though is what I call incomplete, so close to making me feel something, but not enough to push me over that edge and inspire intense empathy, her lack of an emotional response to her ex-husband's death really bugged me, especially after he died saving both her son and her love, Logan. However, there were times where I just thought damn, she has some drive or some edge, like when she FINALLY stands up for herself to Keith, her ex-husband and she says "I'm a damn good mother", my only thought was damn straight.
Chemistry-7/10- "Finding something like that in a war is like finding an angel in hell"-Efron portrayed his character very well, the lost man and ex-marine looking for his guardian angel. I think the chemistry between the characters was strengthened by the fact Logan had a connection with her before meeting her, which probably in turn strengthened Efron's astounding acting. On my list, this just beat Safe Haven, only because the emotional delivery was ardent and inspiring with every single character, including the ex-husband and the kid-there was chemistry between every single character. Efron and Schilling had a lot of chemistry, only there relationship and it's struggles didn't seem genuine it seemed forced through ill-scripted scenes and stymied through lethargic circumstances. Also, there is a big big problem- half the time i'm just thinking efron's too young for this like in comparison to Schilling, at least.
Conflict-5/10- Beth's inner conflict very much saddened me, the way in which she was still coping with her brother's death and would give anything to know that he didn't die for nothing. Also, her conflict with dealing with a controlling and chauvinistic ex-husband who continuously threatens to take her son away. In fact, most of the film's conflict relies on the female lead, which is a very big change. However, when you think about it more closely, how the whole conflict unravels from a photograph it seems kind of ridiculous. As for Logan's conflict it's mostly internal with a marine trying to find a new way of living after the war and feeling indebted to his guardian angel.
But despite all this, there's something missing- what is the main conflict driving the story? hats off to anyone of you that can figure it out because I certainly have no clue.
Structure and style-4/10- The photograph provides the story with better structure, something the audiences can constantly revert back to but at the same time it makes the primal conflict of the story a bit unrealistic and ridiculous- like that's going to happen in real life? Do you really think someone would travel all that way to return a picture and thank someone you've never met for saving your life. In addition, this film is testimony to the whole knight and shining armour and happily ever after adage which was sickly sweet and nauseating. There was a huge comedic element missing from the film which made it less entertaining and light-heartened, which doesn't makes sense to me because in comparison to it's predecessors and successor's the conflict in this film seems to diminish in solemnity. Nonetheless, the dialogue wasn't completely cheesy, it was bearable and the rural coastal town backdrop seemed credible enough, the night-raid, warzone backdrop however did not. I felt like it was taking place on a box on set.
#5 THE LAST SONG
General note- Honestly, I love the romance in this film but I watch it more for the father-daughter relationship this is one of two Sparks films that stresses child-parent conflict very strongly and especially in this film it breaks my heart. It shows that love stories extend beyond the classic boy meets girl, fall in love and happily ever after- family matters as well. Take a lesson from Frozen it's not Hans or even Kristoff that cures Anna NO, it's her sister Elsa, So love is important but it comes in many forms. To sum up this point- chemistry between ALL characters was on point.
Characters- 8/10
My
favourite character hands down was.......
Steve (Greg Kinnear)-
his performance was utterly breathtaking and heartbreaking! SPOILER a
man with a strained relationship who would lie about his own cancer to
his children so he could mend the relationship on it's own terms rather
then having his children feel obligated to love him is one of the most
selfless and courageous things i've ever heard of. His silent death gets
me every time, a life that faded away with the one sound he yearned to
hear for the longest time- his daughter play piano again, to rediscover
her passion. This was honestly one of the most beautiful and tragic
deaths I have ever seen! On top of that Kinnear portrayed it beautifully
he was the picture of a broken man. He made me realize what it means to
be human, doing the best you can through the hardships that life
frequently throws our way.
Ronnie (Miley Cyrus)- her bid to play the troubled teen was certainly a
success, she made the strained father-daughter relationship seem very
genuine and her character transformation is undeniably portrayed
skilfully, especially as she starts to grow fonder of her father and enjoys and appreciates having him in her life. Her emotional response to discovering her father has cancer was her best scene honestly, she was talented at portrayed mixed emotions- the way she's crying but mad and confused but understands- absolutely mindblowing.
it was only during a few of the romantic scenes where her acting
faulted and she felt like more of a kid then a romantic lead- at times it seemed
more like a kiddish first love, then a mature one that could probably
last. However, wit and sarcasm is her middle name because she did that exceedingly well.
Will (Liam Hemsworth)- A-M-A-Z-I-N-G- A rich kid who sees past the whole pretentious bullshit of being rich, Hemsworth broke my heart when he revealed his brother's death and how he dated a parade of girls hoping to feel something again, the pain in his eyes and just his overall emotional delivery was commendable. I love the way he sticks by Ronnie's side through her dad's cancer and he shares her burdens- that too me is what real love is when you find someone to share the bad times with, it's the bad times that test relationships after all.To say the least they passed the test-Eventually.
Hemsworth portrayed every emotion intensely and intense emotions inspires intense responses thus the empathy I felt for him was mindblowing.His humour and wit was astounding- Do you remember when he recited the first line of Anna Karenina in German? I rest my case.
Chemistry- 7/10- This film is why I
was so saddened that Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth broke off there
engagement, they are honestly a striking pair. my favourite scene between the two would have to be the mud fight. It was very fun and made me laugh, it gives off the impression that they are a fun and sweet couple. The chemistry between Cyrus and Kinnear was PERFECT, the strained relationship that evolved to a closeness that friends share, every word spoken between these two characters hit me hard.
Conflict- 7/10- here we have the father/daughter
conflict, the conflict between Ronnie and Will and of course Ronnie's
inner conflict, all of which were heartbreaking to watch. The father/daughter conflict was done very well, we can obviously understand the betrayal Ronnie felt when her father left and how she retaliated by refusing to play piano, which her father loved. Only, in the end she realises that by refusing to do so she was hurting herself more then her father, so obviously she experiences a lot of inner conflict when she chooses to forgive her father. However, the conflict, the thing that was enough to drive Ronnie away from Will, I feel as though it should've been more epic, nonetheless Cyrus and Hemsworth were excellent in this scene.
Structure and style- 5/10- I honestly didn't find the dialogue very cheesy I liked it, it was witty and sarcastic (For Ronnie mostly), it had tinges of humour which is certainly needed in a romance film, especially ones featuring teenagers love interests so young, there too young to not have humour in there somewhere. But it's understandable this film deals with some heavy themes like death so it's expected that the majority of the film is earnest. The backdrop was of a coastal town so what else is new Sparks? The costuming- For Will it was spot on for the volleyball type and for Ronnie she was certainly rocking the gothic chic- practically dressed like someone who was either rebelling against her father or silently screaming for his attention- but beginning to end of the film her wardrobe changes as her relationships changes so there's a bit of symbolism going on there.
#4 THE BEST OF ME
General note-
A+ acting, average C for basically everything else like the dialogue,
structure except the plot twist, The impact of that plot twist didn't
hit me straight away but it hit me hard- The love of her life dies but
his heart lives in another person that she loved. So even though he's
gone his heart is always with her. So needless to say, this film was one
of closure and it tore me to shreds. It teaches people about the
importance of forgiveness and a second chance or in this case a second
chance at a first love as well as how the only people we should keep in
our lives are the ones that bring out
"The Best In Me!"
Characters- 9/10
Old Dawson (James Marsden)- In case you didn't know Paul Walker
was initially cast for this role before his death and thinking back on
the film I feel as though Walker would've been a perfect choice, closer
to what I imagined looking at young Dawson! which makes me really sad :(
Also, looking at Marsden as Old Dawson and Bracey as young Dawson it
doesn't seem believable at all (That was quite an impossible
transformation!) That's not to say James Marsden wasn't excellent, his
acting and emotional delivery was superb, very tear-jerking. Also, when
he sees his father again you can still feel his fear. He obviously
didn't play young Dawson but he carries young Dawson's troubled past and
struggles all the same. Honestly bravo. The only thing that bugged me
about him was his lack of an emotional response to Tuck's death who was
practically a father to him :(
Young Dawson (Luke Bracey)-
WOW! that was quite the film debut. The young man from the wrong side
of the tracks, who isn't charismatic sadly but is certainly a brooding
handsome lead and a lot of girls like that type and Bracey portrays it
astoundingly especially in comparison to Liberato's charismatic and
light-heartened nature. His character transformation is unbelievable
from a troubled kid with an abusive family, to having a father-figure in
his life, to being in love and then losing it all. His inability to
forgive himself over his cousin's death was painful to watch and most of
all his straight-forward nature was humorous for example, when he is
oblivious to Amanda's flirting!
Old Amanda (Michelle Monaghan)
- In terms of the character, I understand her past struggles in waiting
around for Dawson hoping he'd let her in and how she eventually had to
move on with her life and she did- she said it herself "you want me to fall back in love with you, how do I do that when I never even stopped"- that
line gets me every time! I just don't like the way she goes back to her
husband after coming back together with Dawson but I think the audience
can understand that when times change, priorities change and in this
case she was willing to put that above her own heart. Monaghan portrays
the pain that Dawson caused her effortlessly, with how at first she is
distant and it takes quite a bit for her to open herself back up to him.
But when she does we see the charisma and vulnerability we saw in young
Amanda.
Young Amanda (Liana Liberato)- The most
charismatic character in the film. She's a lightweight that generates
relief to the heavy burdens that Dawson carries around with him. But she
can also play hardball when the situations demands it. Also when her
burdens hit her hard they hit us hard too. Especially when Dawson takes
away her choices by refusing to see her when in jail. Her reaction to
him walking away from her in the prison was heart-wrenching. So much
talent in someone so young.
OH, And if it weren't
enough that both Amanda's are brilliant actresses, they look so similar
they certainly pass off as one another. In fact, there was a scene where
I swear Liberato was Monaghan.
Tuck (Gerald Mcraney)- Hands down my favourite character- they
certainly don't make them like him anymore, the producer of the film
said it herself. WOW! His practically a father figure and nurtures
Dawson and Amanda's romance and is a huge part of Dawson's growing
confidence in himself. He wanted so much more for Dawson then what he'd
grown up with and what he ended up with. Mcraney effortlessly portrays
the guiding light that helps Dawson as well as learning a thing or 2
about himself along the way. A job beautifully done!
Chemistry- 8/10-
Bracey and Liberato's (Young couple) relationship embodies the notion
of simplicity and complexity going hand in hand or in other words
opposites attract, they balance each other out and there relationship is
more memorable for it. The way they challenge each other to go after
there dreams and not give up on there futures despite circumstances is
inspiring and shows a real maturity and intensity in an inexperienced
and teen highschool love. Between Monaghan and Marsden the very much
longed for love is certainly there and we can see how there lives have
turned out in a way neither planned especially without one another and
what it means to suddenly have one another back in each others lives,
almost so it kills me when they have to part again the chemistry was
undeniable. However, I think there story gave a sense of discordance so
it felt like I was watching 2 different love stories not the same one.
The chemistry between Tuck and Dawson was THE BEST- I absolutely adored
it, I love the way it started out rough because they were so similar but
once the softness hiding behind a tough exterior was shown- we saw they
were a family and very protective of one another and it absolutely
warmed my heart. The only thing I didn't like was the chemistry between
Dawson and his father, the actor chosen to play the father to say the
least was NOT what I imagined, maybe that was the point, I don't know
but I didn't like it at all.
Conflict-7/10-
They say follow your heart but remember to take your mind with you, I
think the character of Dawson is the epitome of this. With his mind,
Dawson made many wrong decisions but his heart never forgot Amanda, his
love. The conflict in this film was a heavy burden and it all unravels
from Dawson's unstable and abusive family, in which he wants out only
things don't seem to work that way in this family. This makes things
even more difficult when he tries his hardest to keep Amanda far away
from this part of his life. However, Dawson's abusive father on screen
is portrayed ridiculously and that story line lacked conviction. On top
of that, we have the difference in social class between the two evident
when Amanda's father tries to buy young Dawson off. Only this conflict
was not stressed as strongly as it was in films such as The Notebook and
The Last Song. I think it's mostly inner conflict the characters cope
with especially Bracey with his low self-esteem and own personal
inadequacies. we can just sense that he is walking around with the
feeling that he's not good enough, something both Amanda and Tuck help fix.
Structure and style- 6/10- I
think the Time jumps were constructed in an irregular manner giving the
film a sense of discordance, Dialogue was total cheese but it's a
Sparks film so when isn't it? However, usually the acting can redeem
this but in this case for me it didn't. IT WAS CHEESE TO THE EXTREME!
with all characters except for Tuck, with him there was no beating around
the bush, no bullshit and certainly NO CHEESE. Half the time the
costuming with young Amanda and Dawson didn't look like from the time
period it was supposed to and the backdrops were too bright and too
staged to be believable.
Real love stories are not fairytales because real love stories have no end!
#3 THE LONGEST RIDE
General note-
I'm going to be 100% honest here, I didn't think I was going to like
this film, in fact at first glance it seemed cheesy and I mostly was
watching it because Scott Eastwood was so damn sexy (I suppose the apple
doesn't fall too far from the tree on that one, hey Clint?) But I
absolutely loved it. I think what I loved most about it was that it's
the first Sparks film to entangle two completely different love stories-
one set present day centering on Art and Bull riding and the other set
in the 1940s on Art and war. In fact it was this latest film that gave
me hope and reassurance that Sparks wasn't losing his touch.
So The
Longest Ride was certainly masterfully constructed in comparison to it's
predecessor The Best Of Me but was a ride too short in beating the top
two on my list.
Characters- 9/10- They are all charismatic, unfeigned and charming
Sophia (Britt Robertson)-
Great choice, She was quirky, amusing, very heartfelt and very sweet.
Her emotional scenes were great but NOT amazing they could be quite dry
at times. It was the break-up scene and when Ira dies mostly where her
emotional delivery hit me hard!
Luke (Scott Eastwood)- Great
choice, total hunk doesn't even cover it (more like a demigod), but i'm
not going to let the fact I find him so damn sexy make me prejudiced,
so i'll admit there were times where I found him wooden. However, for
the most part his emotional delivery was always on point. His very
conflicted and you can see it in his eyes his torn between 2 parts of
his life his love for Sophia and bull-riding which for the longest time
was, he said it himself "all I know". So yes, body language is stiff but
his facial expressions and dialogue delivery compensate for it. Let's
just say it was one heck of a film debut for this guy and he rocks a
cowboy hat almost as well as his daddy.
Ira (Jack Huston)- Tore
me to shreds honestly, every emotion he portrayed on that screen was
breathtakingly masterful. His transformation from the shy recluse before he knew Ruth to
when he had her in his life, the struggles they experience to after he
loses her and she comes back is just astounding. If anyone in this film
deserves to be nominated for something or win an award it's without a
doubt- HIM!
Also the amount of sacrifices he made was admirable,
he sacrificed having a family, giving Ruth one of her dreams and risked
his own life to save a friend in the midst of a war.
Old Ira (Alan Alda)- At
first is fragile, shattered and bitter, but as he recounts meeting Ruth
his soul is restored, so needless to say this actor puts an
effortlessly genuine face on nostalgia. Also, the scene where he wakes
up to find his wife dead, was the one scene in which I could not hold it
together! It was a heart-breaking shout into the void.
Ruth (Oona Chaplin)- The
amount of times she made me laugh was uncountable, her transformation
was masterfully constructed as well, from one of the most quirky and
light-heartened characters to the most conflicted. It pained me to see
the way she had to give up one of her biggest dreams. But somehow, in
the end she realizes that, that dream doesn't exist without Ira- So her
sacrifice is of inestimable value. A JOB WELL DONE CHAPLIN, IF I DO SAY
SO MYSELF.
Chemistry- 8.5/10- Between
Ruth and Ira it's more like a 9.5, they had everything right from the
quirkiness, heartfelt and endearing love scenes to the sadness and the
grave tragedy that follows, through the forces that drive them apart and
back together again. Honestly I commend the casting choices on this
one. As for the relationship between Luke and Sophia there were times
where I felt there relationship was more sexual and lustful then
romantic like they went on there first date and the next minute there
having sex- i was just like
although
they have many adorable scenes that redeem this and make there
relationship memorable so YAY! Also, each time they looked in each
others eyes the chemistry was undeniable. Chemistry between Ira and
Sophia was touching, goes to show how people can change your life in
unexpected ways. The only thing that really saddened me was the lack of
chemistry between Luke and Ira, I would've loved to see a few heartfelt
moments between the 2 of them. I feel like Ira could've been the guiding
light that helps Luke find his way the same way he did for Sophia,
especially since I felt like he was more of a lost character then Sophia
ever was, her character is set in stone, it's only her circumstances
that change.
Conflict- 7/10- The forces that
aim to drive both couples apart are exactly the same forces that bring
them together, because they realize in spite of there differences and
inability to understand how they can make it work they know they want to
make it work. So external conflicts such as distance, time,
infertility, war and passion threaten there love but are also why the
love story remains so memorable. However, sometimes I don't think these
conflicts or there solution to these conflicts were expressed as
creatively as they could have been. For example, I was hoping for a
bigger conflict or a more sought-after resolution- in the end I felt
like it came too easy for Sophia and Luke and ruined the realism of the
situation, Ira says "love requires sacrifice" in the end I don't think
Sophia and Luke sacrificed anything, they were just more willing to if
it came down to it. Also let's be honest there problems really do
diminish in significance when compared to Ira's and Ruth's.
Structure and style- 8/10
There was a bit of a Notebook style going on where Ira's letters led us
back into flashbacks of a different time, although the difference is
these were flashbacks to another love and time, with the notebook it was
simply another time with the same love. So because these flashbacks
emerged from letters there was a better flow to the story and it didn't
feel as much like a photo slideshow with pretty backdrops like it did
when watching The Best Of Me. The dialogue could be cheesy at times, but
there was a balance because it was also heart-breaking and completely
hilarious. My favourite line was spoken by Luke, as a bull rider he
tells an art dealer of her show, “I think there’s more bullshit here
than where I work.” The backdrops and costuming made the 1940's in the
film credible, I honestly felt like I was in the 1940's.
Everyone in the cinema, sits there like awwww! what a cute couple and i'm like that's a good looking tree, I like that tree, yeah nice tree!
STAY TUNED FOR FIRST PLACE AND THE RUNNER UP
AND THE DECISIONS FOR WHY NUMBER ONE WAS NUMBER ONE AND
WHY NUMBER TWO WAS NUMBER TWO!
OVERALL CONCLUSION-
So
as a general conclusion let's just say it's not a Nicholas Sparks film
till someone dies!
So yes that part of the story lacks originality as
well as many other repetitive features evident in a Sparks film. Also,
some people may classify these films as cheese films rather then
romantic ones because cheesiness accelerates to a whole other level.
However, Sometimes we just need a Nicholas Sparks film, we need one to
set our expectations for life and love and make us believe in love again
and the beauty it can bring into our lives. As melodramatic as the
films are or can be It shows us the reality of love. It shows us that
love isn't handed to us on a shiny silver platter, it has it's struggles
and takes work but if it's true and has made you feel more alive then
you have ever felt then you can always find a way. But, even when for
some reason it can't last it's beautiful and we still manage to learn
from it and grow as people and a significant other.
We
want to believe in love the same way a little kid believes in Santa
Clause and many of us do! And this analogy is more complex then what
meets the eye because when little kids grow up and mature, they discover
there is no Santa Clause and there mentality changes and love is the
same way. Many people don't get it right the first or second or even
third or fourth time round but each time we fall in love it changes the
way we think and the way we look at the world.
That's only
a few points but I think I've made too many points already- Sparks has a
tendency to completely mess with our minds in the most unfathomable fashion.
THE CHOICE (2016)- Trailer
My thoughts beginning to end of the trailer
My first thoughts were "Sparks what the hell do you think you are doing?"
My last thoughts were "Sparks what the hell do you think you are doing?"
I think if I was rating this just from what I've seen from the trailer, it would be lucky to get a
6 out of 10.
It's
basically several existing Nicholas Sparks films strung together in one
big cliche', the amount of money Sparks makes off the same story arc
just with different events and twists and different characters is
absolutely shocking!
Let's see up first in the trailer
we have two white people that meet each other randomly and at first are
indignant and indifferent to one another? Now where have I seen that
before? OH YEAH, in The Notebook, A Walk To Remember, The Last Song, The
Lucky One! need I say more! (BTW, we live in a world that accepts all
kinds of love and yet i've never seen an Asian or Black or cultured
romantic lead they are all practically the same! I mean it wouldn't kill
you to show the diversity of love, in fact the closest Sparks came to
it was the love story of Ira and Ruth in The Longest Ride who were
Jewish and were not even the prominent couple of the two in the story.)
So
basically neighbours in a small town cross paths, slowly fall in
love and then there love is tested through a series of unfortunate
and/or life-threatening circumstances and together they somehow find a
way to overcome it or they don't (usually they do but when they don't
they always have closure of some sort). So basically I just summed up
every Nicholas Sparks film ever made! Good on me!
A
date at the fair and a big teddy bear? Notebook anyone? Come on Sparks a
fair? Cliche has been taken to a whole new level. Hey here's an idea
try thinking outside of the box what about a bowling, hiking, indoors or
zoo date! (or if that's still cliche) have them visit a used bookstore,
have them take an art, photography or music class, or go ice skating
and have the characters fall on there ass! ANYTHING! I don't know and I
don't care but if I see another classic fair date where the guy wins a
teddy bear for a girl or tries to impress her by playing some cute
carnival game or acting all macho and manly I am going to strangle my
TV.
A love triangle? and a poorly constructed one by
the looks of it. Raise a glass to whoever came up with that brilliant
original idea (Don't be gullible, I'm being sarcastic right now)
 |
| GATSBY GETS IT! Cheers to the cliche |
A car crash? WOW what else is new?
The
male lead running through a hospital looking for the woman he loves
with a pensive and fretful countenance? I have to say Channing Tatum
perfected that action in the film The Vow So sorry director of The
Choice I think someone beat you to it!
That punch
though between the two males of the love triangle i'm sorry but am I the
only one that noticed how fake and floppy that was? What's supposed to
be a tear-jerking moment most likely was actually laughable.
So is this a film or a Parody film? someone please explain?
CONCLUSION- So far i'm not really feeling the characters, story or as a matter of fact the ROMANCE, it is a romance film after all.
So the question is will I watch this? and
the answer is surprisingly YES, I will most certainly be watching this
and so should all of you because while i believe it's gonna blow up like
a beer bottle left in the freezer due to my conclusions drawn just from
the trailer you can't judge a movie from a trailer, in fact some of the
best movies I know have the most poorly constructed trailers.
For Further reading-
The way to survive a Nicholas Sparks film ( BEWARE THIS IS MOSTLY CLICHE'S!)
1)
For you underage youngsters chocolate is the key (It's a scientific
fact that it counteracts depression), For the adults hard liquor is the
way to go (unless you feel like the chocolate in which case go for it).
2)
Remember that no matter how sad you are, there are sadder things,
remember that somewhere in the world a fat boy has dropped his
ice-cream.
3)
Revenge! take revenge by watching a comedy or horror film and
betraying the tragic/romance genre!
4) Eggs and Tomato's to chuck at your TV!
5) Tissues, lots and lots of tissues!
6)
Be realistic, a lot of the things you see in a Nicholas Sparks film
won't actually happen to you and allow yourself an appropriate grieving
time to recover from the philosophical reflection that follows watching a
Spark's film! Don't rush into another Spark's film or any film.
Love, Sun
