This movie had potential to be great. Not that it was disastrous, but it wasn’t really all that exceptional either. Alongside the legendary The Notebook and the semi-legendary A Walk To Remember, this movie does not quite reach those lofty romantic heights. For those who haven’t read the book by Nicholas Sparks, you might like it. For those who have, you may be disappointed. Once again a story with a normal uncomplicated ending is changed—changed into a happy ending for the good of the viewers.
Although I’m a fan of the novel, it’s kind of a depressing story. In short, the tale follows John (Channing Tatum), a quiet, short-tempered man who joined the army and is on leave. While on leave he meets a bubbly blonde Savannah (Amanda Seyfried) on her summer holiday from university. Their relationship grows quickly; after a few awkward dinners and conversations, they soon fall in love. The problem is—John is soon going back to war in Iraq. With this, the two lovers begin writing letters to one another to bridge their distance.
One of the main relationships in the movie is John’s relationship with his dad, who we find out suffers from mild Autism. This relationship was done really well; most of the scenes I enjoyed were between the father and his son. His dad was adorable, shy and has an obsession with coins. In the film you see the strained relationship between the two become clear once John is aware of his father’s condition; it becomes a great relief once they do. There was a poignant scene near the end where John writes his father a letter and reads it out, relating his experience of life to coins and the minting process.
The two lovers had chemistry and a moving love story, but the way their relationship turned out was a tad gloomy. The book was brilliant but the story really isn’t the most beautiful of all love stories. I guess you just have to put that in your mind when you watch/read it. And by the way, Channing Tatum is a babe. He makes up for anything.
Dear John
Directed by: Lasse Halstrom