Although it includes some of the elements that make daytime soap operas seem so silly, director Michael Sucsy's romantic drama “The Vow” is endearing, engaging and entertaining.
In other words, the movie is everything that you expect it to be yet manages to overcome all of that thanks to the sheer likability of its two leads and the characters whom they portray. Best of all, it is a rare romantic drama that can be enjoyed by both male and female moviegoers alike, making it as close to a sure classic in the genre that has come along since “The Notebook.”
Based on the experience of Kim and Krickitt Carpenter, “The Vow,” which is now playing at movie theaters throughout the Valley, stars Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum as Paige and Leo, respectively – a happy newlywed couple whose lives are suddenly changed when a car accident puts Paige in a coma.
Waking up with severe memory loss, Paige has no recollection of Leo, a confusing relationship with her parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange) and an ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) for whom she may still have feelings. Despite these complications, Leo endeavors to win her heart again and rebuild their marriage.
Needless to say, “Days of Our Lives” tends to recycle this storyline at least a couple times each year and the screenwriters who adapted the Carpenter's story do not handle the various plot points of it (namely Speedman's character and a secret made out to be more shocking than it actually is) any better than that. That is to say that much of “The Vow” has been fictionalized for dramatic effect.
Fortunately, McAdams and Tatum give ridiculously charming performances and you cannot help but sympathize with both of their characters. Moreover, “The Vow” tells such a sweet story of an unconditional love to which we should all aspire that you kind of do not mind putting up with all of its stereotypical melodramatics.
The one problem for which “The Vow” cannot be forgiven, though, is rushing the ending. The screenwriters wrap everything up in such a way that forces Sucsy to essentially use a montage to bring the story to its conclusion. This not only robs moviegoers of a satisfied feeling upon leaving the theater but also of the complementary cry that seems almost essential to the greatest romantic dramas, of which this is definitely one.
“The Vow” (PG-13 – 104 minutes) is now playing at movie theaters throughout the Valley. Visit FirstLook.com for specific showtimes and locations.
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