Friday, April 27, 2012

The Lucky One


Nicholas Sparks has brought lovebirds everywhere another new novel-turned-film entitled The Lucky One. This time the film stars High School Musical’s Zac Efron and up-and-coming actress Taylor Schilling in a tale about a young Marine who believes that finding a picture of a beautiful girl, in the middle of a war zone, was what saved his life. Logan (Efron) serves three tours in Iraq and after finally being sent home, he is unsure as to where he truly belongs. He is mentally and emotionally confused and lost. He decides to set his sights on the ‘angel’ in the picture and thank her for bringing him home to safety. But, when he finally reaches Beth (Schilling) events don’t go as planned, and what seemed simple turns into a complicated situation.

Nicholas Sparks creates characters that give people that watch his stories on screen, hope. That hope that people such as Noah and Allie from The Notebook are real or the hope that there are men out there such as Landon Carter who would die to do anything for Jamie Sullivan in A Walk to Remember. Or the hope that John and Savannah’s love will survive any war in Dear John so it’s only natural to have hope that a character such as Logan in The Lucky One is not only real, but actually out there somewhere. Zac Efron delivered a great performance as the epitome of what some girls might think as the ‘perfect guy’. Logan is respectful, mature, strong, courageous and passionate. He has a need to try and take care of situations and of people. He sees the good in people that can’t even see the good in themselves. To believe a twenty five year old with his knowledge, strength and romance is wishful thinking. Taylor Schilling portrayed Beth as an independent woman who needs to do what is best for her and her family. She comes off strong on the outside but on the inside she is an emotional mess. Schilling did a really great job, showing the audience the strengths and weaknesses of Beth. Seeing the previews for the film, the audience may think that her character is a lot older than Efron’s but she is actually supposed to play the same age, which would be a little confusing. Schilling is older than Efron in real life but only by four years, but she appears a lot older, the audience may have wanted a younger looking woman for it be looked at as more believable. But, she delivered a fine performance. Blythe Danner portrays Ellie, Beth’s grandmother and she is sweet and loveable as the wise and funny nana.

The Lucky One is of course a beautiful love story, filled with passion, romance and maturity. The characters in the film were forced to grow up at a young age. Beth got pregnant in high school, which forced her to be a mother and be independent from the age of seventeen. Logan, just barely survived the war in Iraq, which would naturally make anyone grow up and mature through force. Seeing what he must have seen, and doing what he had to do for himself, his friends, family, and his country made him fearless and admirable.

Director Scott Hicks did a wonderful job, getting the beautiful sunset shots and romantic lighting. He conveyed his characters accurately and timely and never took the audience’s attention off screen.

The Lucky One is highly recommended to anyone who enjoys other Nicholas Sparks romance movies, films that have great character development and films that leave the audience believing in hope. Believing in the chance of getting to love or be loved in a fateful way, and to hoping it will last a lifetime. 

2 comments:

  1. This movie was total crap because it tried so hard to make us care for these characters and their love, that it just ended up being irritating as hell. Efron and Schilling do try but come on, there is only so much one person can do with a Nicholas Sparks adaptation! Good review Dorothy.

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  2. Thanks Dan! I love your honesty. This film is clearly not for everyone, I really wish they picked someone other than Schilling because she just came off too old and so did her ex.I do think Efron has come a long way.

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