Review: 'The Best of Me', Starring Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden

Without fail, it's guaranteed that we get a new Nicholas Sparks film every year. It's like he cranks these suckers out in his sleep. The last few of the films based on his books have been abysmal to say the least. (Safe Haven and The Lucky Ones come immediately to mind). They're usually the same kinds of characters. Throw in a small river town, some sexual tension, angst, and voila, a bona fide Sparks work has emerged. The Best of Me is not the best of his book-to-film adaptations, but it is most certainly better than its several predecessors, if only because it's at least better acted. 

In present day, Dawson Cole (James Marsden) is an oil rig worker when an accident lands him back on solid ground. "A miracle" is what the doctor calls his life, seeing as how he survived an explosion and a 100-foot fall into the ocean. Dawson, who's not a man willing to

believe in destiny, begins to believe that he survived for a reason. He's drawn back to his hometown after the loss of Tuck (Gerald McRaney), a father-figure and guardian to Dawson from his past. He has to face his regrets, his past guilt over a past accident, and his violent father (Sean Bridgers). 

Amanda (Michelle Monaghan) has been married for 18 years, her son's about to begin college, and her marriage is far from being anywhere near the definition of happy (whatever that definition might be). She's given up a lot of dreams, but is also drawn back to her hometown after the death of Tuck. This is where she ends up facing her old high school boyfriend (surprise, surprise) after 21 years apart. Their unexpected reunion brings sadness, hope, and a reevaluation of their lives and are reminded of what they'd lost and of how they bring out the best in each other. 

If you go into this movie with even a hint of high expectations, you will be utterly and completely disappointed. But if you're very aware of the kind of film this is in advance and you've set very low expectations, then you might find it decently enjoyable. It won't blow you away. There are some plot points that are either irrelevant or contrived, but given the fact that the trailers made it out to seem like it was The Notebook part 2, you might be a little relieved that it isn't. 

While Sparks always follows formula when it comes to his writing, The Best of Me is at least semi-entertaining, especially if you're a sucker for the romance genre. There isn't anything breathtaking about it (except for maybe the garden scenes with that gorgeous tree in the background) and a lot of it feels like we're following the same beaten path, but James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan seem to make the best of their cheesy lines and talk about destiny. Their chemistry is palpable and while the film is melodramatic, at least it knows it is and generally tends to stay within its own boundaries. 

If you sit there and think about this movie's plot for too long (regardless of how simple it is), you will start to find holes in it, so don't bother trying. Any attempt will give you a headache and make you question Sparks's fictional world of too-in-love people and the medical system. One of the film's major flaws, however, comes in the fact that the actors who play the younger versions of Dawson and Amanda (Luke Bracey and Liana Liberaton,

respectively) don't look a thing like their older counterparts. Sometimes, it almost feels like the film is telling two completely different character stories. At first, the transition is a little jarring and the rest of the scenes which come after take a little getting used, but the younger actors do a good enough job.

All in all, and in comparison to Nicholas Sparks's other film adaptations, The Best of Me isn't all bad. If you're really into these kinds of films, you'll want to check it out because you'll probably find it entertaining, cheese and all. It does have themes of regret and talk of life's lost ambitions, which is nice. There's also a lot of talk about destiny, which gets annoying, but the romance is definitely there and it's still sweet and doesn't feel contrived in comparison to its predecessors. You'll see the ending coming a mile away, but as far as romances go, this one isn't terrible (if we are to only rate it based on the world of Sparks, whose films seem to have their own genre). This movie will only make you roll your eyes a couple of times for its cheesy moments, but at least you won't give yourself a headache doing it the entire film. 

Read More

Trailer Time: One Day, starring Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess

David Nicholls decided to adapt his own 2009 novel, One Day, into a feature film. Directed by Lone Scherfig(An Education), the story is of Emma(Anne Hathaway) and Dexter(Jim Sturgess), who sleep together one night back in 1988 right before their college graduation. They don't become a couple, but stay friends, and the film covers their relationship over the course of 20 years by looking at one day of each year, July 15th. Check out the trailer below...



Not gonna lie, this is the kind of movie I tend to fall for. I prefer a straight up romance, presented in (relatively) unique fashion to the tired old rom-coms we get nowadays. And yet I'm extremely weary about this one. It's not a problem with Anne Hathaway. I'm sure she'll be fantastic despite the disappearing/reappearing accent she has here. It's Jim Sturgess, who I always feel is still working because better actors simply can't take every role. Maybe he'll change my mind for once.

One Day makes it's way into theaters on August 19th where it'll be soundly thrashed by something much bigger.

Read More

Trailer Time: Charlie St. Cloud, starring Zac Efron

Yahoo Movies has released the trailer for the upcoming romantic fairy tale, Charlie St. Cloud, starring Zac Efron. The story involves Charlie, who makes a promise to his little brother Sam that he'll teach him to play baseball everyday until he leaves for college.When Sam is killed in a car accident, Charlie keeps his promise to Sam's ghost. However when he meets a girl and begins to have a relationship with her, he finds that he must make a decision between pursuing love and keeping his promise.It's based on the 2004 novel by Ben Sherwood.

I'm no big Zac Efron fan, but I like the fantasy elements at play here. While he might've faded into the background in Me and Orson Welles last year, Efron showed he capable of tackling a bit heavier roles that don't just require him to dance and sing real nice. Charlie St. Cloud is being directed by Burr Steers, who wrote and directed one of my favorite films of 2002, Igby Goes Down. He also directed Efron in 17 Again last year.

Check out the trailer for yourself and let us know what you think. Is it possible Efron might be more of an actor than I gave him credit for?

Read More