In case you thought Nicholas Sparks' Dear John covered it all when it comes to romance linked with military service, think again. His newest movie adaptation, The Lucky One, offers a whole new spin on the trope and, as with every other Sparks movie, provides a delightful guilty pleasure experience to any viewer with a shred of romantic tendencies.
A well-built and scruffy Zac Efron plays Logan Thibault, a Marine back from his third deployment to the Middle East, where he found a photograph in the sand of a beautiful girl. It becomes his lucky charm, saving him from injury during several strikes while some of his best friends die alongside him.
The movie begins with Thibault's return to the U.S. during which, despite his symptoms of PTSD, he embarks to find the girl from the photograph in order to thank her. But finding her isn't the hard part; He accomplishes that within the first 15 minutes. Her name is Beth Green and she works at a kennel. The hard part (and therefore the crux of the storyline) is actually thanking her, partly due to the conveniently inopportune situations that arise and partly due to his scarring war memories.
Sparks' novels and their film adaptations are known for their chick flick qualities, and while this one aligns with that notion, its aesthetics make it quite the viewing experience.
In addition to the usual steamy love scenes and squee-worthy moments, the film is probably one of the most visually appealing ones a viewer could ever wish for. First, you have Efron. He has matured very far from his High School Musical days into dynamic actor competent in a diverse array of situations. (Also he is incredibly handsome with facial hair.) Add to that Beth's adorable son, Ben, portrayed by Riley Thomas Stewart. The smile, the blond curls and the musical talent – the kid has it all. Then you have the dogs Logan and Beth work with at the kennel. Even if one could somehow resist the charms of Efron and Stewart, it's impossible not to swoon over the dogs. (Seriously, Sparks knows how to affect the ladies.)
Finally, as all of that weren't enough, the rural Louisiana landscape just might take the cake. The abundant trees, idyllic swamps, quiet country roads, stately mansions and Ben's rustic treehouse compete for the viewer's attention. All of these visual aspects culminate into one Sparks movie that will win over any female viewer.
Even the manliest viewer dragged to the theater with his significant other will (probably secretly) enjoy it because of the periodic violent battle scenes. So basically there's something in the movie everybody can enjoy. The men have war. The women have Zac. And the romantic in everyone has the thrill of watching a new romance bloom on the big screen.
Of course that isn't to say it's perfect. It is a romance, which means there is inevitably some cheesy dialogue and comically awkward moments. But clearly the people who made this movie tried to portray a realistic relationship, not just the everyday fairytale romance. Sparks himself acknowledged the importance of evoking a relationship with flaws.
"You go through all the emotions with them so you feel as if you know them," he said during a roundtable with North by Northwestern. "When they fall in love, a little bit of you falls in love with this idea of falling in love. And if there's anything sad, you ache. That is the art of bringing these stories to life."
In this advice lies Sparks' expertise in entertaining his audience. Those looking for a date movie, an escape or some eye candy will leave the theater thrilled and wishing for a life lifted from a Sparks novel.