I normally do not like sappy romantic movies. I typically don't really enjoy Nicholas Sparks movies in particular, with one or two exceptions. Guess I'll have to add another exception now.
While there was nothing particularly groundbreaking about this movie, and there were a few clichés (I spent the first 10 minutes counting every time a character was portrayed back-lit by the sun. I lost count!), I ended up being surprised with the subtlety of the story- telling. Every time I expected, for instance, the small-town cop, abusive ex to: arrest Logan for a trumped up charge, beat him when everyone was looking and then deny it, beat up his ex-wife when she defied/challenged him, or any number of movie tropes, the story took a more subtle route. He is portrayed as the "bad guy" so to speak, but not in a one-dimensional manner.
And every time I expected the love interests to: rip each other's clothes off at the first opportunity, fall head over heels for each other in a melodramatic, saccharine fashion, and over-explain every scene at every given opportunity, they surprisingly didn't.
Instead, the love interests are portrayed as gradually falling for each other over a period of time in a regular, reasonable manner.
I especially appreciated that dialogue was used sparingly and everything wasn't talked to death like a lot of movies these days.
If you're looking for a witty, fast-paced, sex-filled movie with lots of dialogue and plenty of action, this definitely isn't the movie for you.
But I thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing change of pace, the sweet, gentle love story, as well as a surprisingly decent performance by Zac Efron.
My main gripe is that there were entirely too many back-lit scenes. I wish I could have the sun following me around all the time, back- lighting my profile.
Overall, though, I recommend it. Will probably watch again.
While there was nothing particularly groundbreaking about this movie, and there were a few clichés (I spent the first 10 minutes counting every time a character was portrayed back-lit by the sun. I lost count!), I ended up being surprised with the subtlety of the story- telling. Every time I expected, for instance, the small-town cop, abusive ex to: arrest Logan for a trumped up charge, beat him when everyone was looking and then deny it, beat up his ex-wife when she defied/challenged him, or any number of movie tropes, the story took a more subtle route. He is portrayed as the "bad guy" so to speak, but not in a one-dimensional manner.
And every time I expected the love interests to: rip each other's clothes off at the first opportunity, fall head over heels for each other in a melodramatic, saccharine fashion, and over-explain every scene at every given opportunity, they surprisingly didn't.
Instead, the love interests are portrayed as gradually falling for each other over a period of time in a regular, reasonable manner.
I especially appreciated that dialogue was used sparingly and everything wasn't talked to death like a lot of movies these days.
If you're looking for a witty, fast-paced, sex-filled movie with lots of dialogue and plenty of action, this definitely isn't the movie for you.
But I thoroughly enjoyed the refreshing change of pace, the sweet, gentle love story, as well as a surprisingly decent performance by Zac Efron.
My main gripe is that there were entirely too many back-lit scenes. I wish I could have the sun following me around all the time, back- lighting my profile.
Overall, though, I recommend it. Will probably watch again.