Nicholas Sparks Films Volume III

The Best Of Me (2014) 

C. 118m. (Theatrical Cut) / 111m. (Storybook Edition Cut)
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen / 2.40:1 – Widescreen (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Michelle Monaghan, James Marsden, Luke Bracey, Liana Liberato, Gerald McRaney, Caroline Goodall and Clarke Peters.

Two teen soul mates are reunited as adults to help execute the will of their mutual friend who died. The old flame is still there and it complicates things for them, especially since she is married and has a kid. By the numbers to be sure but the story has real heart (sorry for the pun), and gives new life to the song lyric from Titanic (1997), “…My heart will go on…” Note: The Storybook Edition Cut removes most of the sad stuff but otherwise offers nothing new.

Trivia: Paul Walker was cast in the lead role but when he died suddenly in the car crash, the role was given to James Marsden.

Rated: [PG–13] – Sexuality, Violence, Some Drug Content & Brief Strong Language
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy

The Longest Ride (2015)

C. / B&W – 123m. / 128m. (Blu–ray)/ 139m.
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen / 2.40:1 – Widescreen (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Scott Eastwood, Britt Robertson, Jack Huston, Oona Chaplin and Alan Alda.

The lives of a bull – riding champion looking to make a comeback, an up and coming person college student in the world of art, and an old dying mall all intersect at a key time for each. More plot-heavy than most Sparks adaptions, this one has distinguished descendants and Alda to boost it. Running times may vary. 

Trivia: The painting, “Man With Moustache,” (1960) was done by Robert De Niro Sr. 

Rated: [PG – 13] – Some Sexuality, Partial Nudity & Some War And Sports Action.
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

The Choice (2016)

C. – 111m
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1 – Widescreen
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Benjamin Walker, Teresa Palmer, Maggie Grace and Tom Wilkinson.

Neighborhood strangers fall in love and their love is tested. This is certainly a lesser adaption of a Nicholas Sparks novel but it is still mildly enjoyable. Predictable, but who cares? Outside of Wilkinson the actors aren’t the caliber of the others in other Sparks films.

Trivia: Noteworthy as the first Nicholas Sparks film where no character, main or supporting, dies.

Rated: [PG–13] – Sexual Content & Some Thematic Issues
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

Nicholas Sparks Films Volume II

The Last Song (2010)

C. – 107m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen
A.K.A.: Untitled Miley Cyrus Project
Screenplay & Novelization By: Nicholas Sparks.
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth and Greg Kinnear.

An angry and rebellious city–girl teen girl is sent, with her brother, to spend the summer with her father. Their mutual love of music helps them reconnect. Along the way she finds happiness with a teen boy about her age. Relatable and realistic view of teen–hood played out with the usual sentimental touches by Sparks. The cast is in fine form as well. This is as near perfect as a Sparks film and novel can get!

Trivia: Written for the screen especially for Miley Cyrus by Nicholas Sparks. After the film was made he wrote the novelization of it. Reportedly Liam Hemsworth never played beach volleyball before making this film and even lied about having played it during his audition. Miley Cyrus worked with a dialect coach to lose her southern accent and she learned to play classical piano for the film. Greg Kinnear had to leave the production for a few days when his daughter Katie was born. Kinnear and Hemsworth attended workshops on making stain glass windows. This was the film that Liam Hemsworth and Miley Cyrus started dating during. This also happens to be one of only two of Sparks’ films that are rated: [PG]. The other is A Walk To Remember (2002).

Rated: [PG] – Thematic Material, Some Violence, Sensuality & Mild Language.
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

Dear John (2010)

C. – 108m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen. / 2.40:1 – Widescreen. (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Channing Tatum, Richard Jenkins and Henry Thomas.

A soldier falls in love with a conservative college girl while at home on leave. Complications ensue. Another near perfect Sparks film that tackles Autism Level 1 as well! Everyone is I top form here. Some of it may be hard to take for some but if one sits through the entire film, it pays off well. The novel is equally good. Like the other Sparks film of that year, The Last Song (2010), this film features an angry protagonist. 

Trivia: This was the first of two Nicholas Sparks films to focus on people in the armed forces. The other was: The Lucky One (2012). This is also the first Sparks novel / film to deal with Autism Level 1 / Asperger’s Syndrome. Something that endears it to this reviewer. Reportedly the character played by Richard Jenkins was inspired by Sparks’ own son who has Asperger’s Syndrome / Autism Level 1. The title is a military term for a letter in which a girl breaks up with a soldier. Amanda Seyfried wrote the song her character sings to Tatum’s character, titled: “Little House.” It can be found, in its entirety, on the soundtrack to the film. On this film’s opening weekend in the United States, it shot to number one, knocking James Cameron’s Avatar (2009) off of its seven–week perch.

Rated: [PG–13] – Some Sensuality & Violence.

The Lucky One (2012)

C. – 101m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen. / 2.40:1 – Widescreen. (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling and Blythe Danner.

After serving three tours of duty in Iraq a Marine travels to Louisiana to find a woman he believes was his good–luck charm. There is no question about it, Sparks has a formula to his work but this is yet another film that turned out well from yet another compelling book by Sparks. The pacing is a bit show but the story unfolds in due course.

Trivia: The house where Beth lives in this film, is the same house where Tucker lives in The Best Of Me (2014).

Rated: [PG–13] – Some Sexuality & Violence
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

Safe Haven (2013)

C. – 115m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen. / 2.40:1 – Widescreen. (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel.

A woman with a mysterious past shows up in a small town and takes up with a widower and it raises questions about her past. What happens next? The town is totally unprepared for. Hold on to your seat. An unexpectedly delicious romantic thriller plays like a modern B – Movie of the 1940’s and 1950’s but rises above it. Cast is in top form and so was Sparks with this novel! Another near–perfect Sparks outing. 

Trivia: Notable as the first Nicholas Sparks film to have an actual antagonist.

Rated: [PG–13] – Thematic Material Involving Threatening Behavior, And Violence & Sexuality.
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy

Nicholas Sparks Films Volume I

Message In A Bottle (1999)

C. – 126m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen
Producer: Kevin Costner. Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Kevin Costner, Robin Wright, Paul Newman, John Savage, Illeana Douglas and Robbie Coltrane

A woman discovers a tragic love letter in a bottle on a beach and decides to track down the author of the letter. This reviewer is not entirely sure what went wrong in the adaption of the Sparks novel but this is a near misfire. The cast saves it mildly. Noteworthy as the first film to be adapted from a Nicholas Sparks novel, and for the record, the novel is much better. 

Rated: [PG–13] – A Scene Of Sexuality
Available on DVD & Digital Copy.  

A Walk To Remember (2002)

C. – 101m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah and Clayne Crawford.

A dying teen daughter of a pastor captures the heart of a troublesome teen in their tight-knit community. A step up from Message In A Bottle (1998), this one is aimed at teens. Like its 2010 counterpart, The Last Song, this one is well done in terms of performances. However, this one has some slow points that show more to adults than to teens. Then again when most of it works, why complain? Mandy Moore stands out here!

Trivia: The first of two Nicholas Sparks films to be rated: [PG]. The other was: The Last Song (2010). In the book, A Walk To Remember, Mandy Moore’s character is a blonde. And finally, many of the sets, especially: The Hospital, The School and Landon’s Home were from the television show: Dawson’s Creek (1998 – 2003).

Rated: [PG] – Thematic Elements, Language & Some Sensual Material.
Available on DVD & Digital Copy.

The Notebook (2004)

C. – 123m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen / 2.40:1 – (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Dir.: Nick Cassavetes
Starring: Gena Rowlands, James Garner, Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Sam Shepard, Joan Allen and James Marsden.

When cinephiles hear that Cassavetes is directing a romance film they may expect something like Love Streams (1984). What is shown here is something resembling a pretty trainwreck. All the parts are beautiful (acting, writing, cinematography) but the final result is awful. The pacing is slow and the only saving grace for this film are Gena Rowlands, the director’s mother, and James Garner who are fine and welcome as always. Credit should also be given to Rachel McAdams for a valiant stab at the material.    

Trivia: Director Nick Cassavetes (son of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands) staged and intervention with Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling. The results can be seen in the film and in the news of them dating for a while in real life after the making of the film. Ryan Gosling made the kitchen table used in the film in his pre-production character development work.

Rated: [PG–13] – Some Sexuality.
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.

Nights In Rodanthe (2008)

C. – 97m
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 – Widescreen / 2.40:1 – Widescreen (Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy)
Novel By: Nicholas Sparks
Starring: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Christopher Meloni, Viola Davis and Scott Glenn.

A woman whose life is in chaos retreats to a small beach town and spends time during a storm with a busy doctor who is staying there for a spell. Romance ensues and so do the usual complications. Likable enough. Aimed squarely at the sexagenarian set of folks, who, as the Abba song (from Mamma Mia! (2008)) put it, “aren’t too old for sex.” And if you’ll pardon the additional pun, Gere and Lane put that over well, “…when all is said and done.” 

Trivia: As of 2013 the house, featured in the film, has been renamed: “The Inn At Rodanthe” and has been refurbished to more closely resemble the interior movies scenes, which were actually shot elsewhere. The house is a rental property and now functions as an attraction after being washed into the surf around 2010.

Rated:  [PG–13] – Some Sensuality.
Available on Blu–ray, DVD & Digital Copy.