An already sappy Nicholas Sparks book turned into an incredibly sappier movie. I watched this movie shaking my head pretty much the entire time going “Ok what are the odds of this?” I’ll give you the answer: ZERO! Reality and cute gagging out of the way, this 2012 film is not too bad (not great but not terrible) compared to the other Sparks films with some decent acting and an actually interesting story. Spoilers ahead as usual. I DO NOT OWN THE PICTURE.
US Marine Logan Thibault (Zac Efron) is serving in Iraq and first-hand sees the horrors of combat, including the deaths of his friends. One day he finds a picture of a beautiful woman by a lighthouse just before an attack and he survives. After failing to find the owner of the picture he keeps it and miraculously (and this is when my head starts spinning) keeping the picture keeps Logan alive. Returning home to his sister and nephews in Colorado Logan begins experiencing PTSD and survivor’s guilt and decides to search for the mystery woman, having discovered a clue about the lighthouse in Louisiana. He and his dog Zeus walk to Louisiana (yeah Colorado to Louisiana walking) and shows the photo around town before he finally gets an answer. The woman is single mom Beth Green (Taylor Schilling) and she is just as pretty in the picture as she is in real life for Logan. Believing he is there to apply to be a hand on her home Beth’s grandmother Ellie (Blythe Danner) hires him, much to Beth’s annoyance in not asking her. However Beth begins to warm up to Logan after getting to know him, as does Beth’s son Ben (Riley Thomas Stewart) who is glad to have a positive male role model after the death of Beth’s brother (yep probably not hard to figure out from there). Beth’s former husband, the sheriff deputy and son of the town judge, Keith Clayton (Jay R. Ferguson) does not like Logan hanging around Beth and Ben and constantly threatens to take Ben away from Beth. It doesn’t stop Logan and Beth from falling in love, however when the real reason of Logan being there is revealed things may change. Again probably not hard to figure out the story, but I am gonna stop here before giving away the rest of the movie.
Now this is not the best Sparks book to film adaption, but it is far from the worst. Zac Efron is pretty good as Logan; showing his more romantic side and if I may say he looked good in uniform. Before she was in Orange in the New Black Taylor Schilling was awesome as Beth who had some fascinating character development as she deals with her ex, her brother’s death and falling for Logan. Finally Blythe Danner as Ellie was the highlight for me as she liked Logan immediately and was the only one on his side after the truth comes out. If you like sappy Sparks movies then this is one to watch, otherwise this might not be on your need to DVR or rent list.
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