NYTimes writes in its movie review: “Go ahead and cry. You know you want to. Why else would you read a book by — or, in keeping with our purposes here, see a movie based on a book by — Nicholas Sparks?”
Directed by Lasse Hallström, written by Jamie Linden, and based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks, “Dear John” tells story of John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried), the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation.
Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John’s increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas–correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences.
However, critics aren’t falling for the tale of long-distance romance:
- The Minneapolis Star Tribune decries the movie’s “Sparksian schmaltz,” panning director Lasse Hallstrom for leaving the audience with “a giggle-worthy mess.”
- “The uneasy combination of the World Trade Center, Sparks and schmaltzmeister director Lasse Hallstrom pushed me perilously close to nausea and diabetic shock, not to mention deep sleep,” according to the New York Post movie review.
- The Toronto Star says it’s “a sappy version of the old letters-from-the-trenches weepers of the 1940s that hobbles along despite the best effort of its cast and a director who ought to know better.”
“Dear John” is rated PG-13 (Parents strongly cautioned). A little sex — moonlit and magical, of course, but far from explicit.
Opens Today nationwide.
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom; written by Jamie Linden, based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks; director of photography, Terry Stacey; edited by Kristina Boden; music by Deborah Lurie; production designer, Kara Lindstrom; produced by Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey and Ryan Kavanaugh; released by Screen Gems. Running time: 1 hour 42 minutes.
WITH: Channing Tatum (John Tyree), Amanda Seyfried (Savannah Lynn Curtis), Henry Thomas (Tim Wheddon), Scott Porter (Randy) and Richard Jenkins (Mr. Tyree).
You can get more information about the movie on the official site and the official Facebook page. [via NYTimes]
