Romance movies, otherwise referred to as “chick flicks,” are typically judged by three things: how hot the people are, how steamy their story is and whether there is a “happily ever after” or not.
These three things, which have made movies based off of best-selling romance author Nicholas Sparks so popular in the past, have failed him in his latest adapted story “The Choice.”
The movie was released Feb. 5 and directed by Ross Katz is based off of Sparks’ book “The Choice,” published in 2007.
The movie portrays the love story of Travis Shaw and Gabby Holland and is set in Beaufort, North Carolina, a small town on the coast.
Benjamin Walker portrays the role of Travis Shaw, a small-town veteran who lives a guarded lifestyle and does not like the idea of settling down. Enter medical student Gabby Holland, portrayed by Teresa Palmer, who moves in next door to him.
Despite getting engaged to her doctor boyfriend—Ryan McCarthy, portrayed by Tom Welling — fate brings Holland and Shaw together. They eventually get married and have kids.
Holland gets into an accident that leaves her in a coma, and after 90 days, Shaw has to decide whether to take her off of life support or not.
While many movies based off of Nicholas Sparks’ books possess a certain charm, sharing the same elements of small-town, simple living, beautiful scenery and the appreciation for nature, “The Choice” shares that charm and uses it to carry the movie.
Besides the charm and suspenseful storyline (because who does not love a little suspense), Sparks’ story lines brought to the film were a disappointment.
As many of the movies based on his novels have had some of the best-looking actors and actresses in Hollywood, including Channing Tatum in “Dear John” or Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in “The Notebook” with great chemistry, this movie’s cast did not live up to those expectations.
The looks of the actors and actresses contribute to chemistry and the chemistry in this movie was a little off. However, the chemistry was not the only thing a little off.
One thing about adapting a book to the screen is the fact that to make it a movie it has to be shortened, which means things get cut out or replaced. When things are condensed it takes away from the story.
An instance of this occurs in the scene where Holland tells her doctor boyfriend about her fling with the neighbor.
He proposes, a few seconds later she calls off the relationship and then Shaw swoops in and proposes.
It did not happen this way in the book, but this is a quick way to make things unravel so the two lovers can get back together and the movie can end before it is two hours long.
Making the book into a film turned the story into a cliché romance film and took away from the story as a whole.
“The Choice” is rated PG-13 and is currently showing in the Conway Cinemark Towne Centre.
image via www.hollywoodreporter.com
