The Vow (C+ or 2/4 stars)
Based (very) loosely on a true story, 'The Vow' (directed by Michael Sucsy, Grey Gardens) begins with Paige (Rachel McAdams) & Leo (Channing Tatum) driving home on the snowy streets of Chicago. When they stop at a stop sign, Paige un-clicks her seatbelt to slide over to Leo for some assumed hanky panky. That's when they're rear-ended by a huge truck. She goes flying out of the windshield. Both end up in the hospital - Leo having injured his neck, & Page suffering from a traumatic brain injury. She eventually recovers but has lost a god 5 yrs. of memory; including all things involving her husband. Luckily for her, mom & dad (Jessica Lange, Sam Neill) find out and come to her aid at once. She remembers them, but only because of the 5 yr. loss of memory.
In the 5 years since, she had not kept contact with her domineering parents; cutting them out of her life completely (over a reason you find out later). Rather than seeing Paige's amnesia as a way for him to start a new life without her, he fights for her. Problem is, her willingness to accept that she's had a life with him for the last 5 yrs. flickers on & off. A previous ex of hers (Scott Speedman) comes back in the picture. And Paige is left to balance her recovery, her mysterious husband (whom she doesn't want to hurt), her ex-boyfriend, her mom/dad, and the ensuing reason why she cast them from her life originally. Everything hangs on whether or not Paige remembers Leo and, if she can't ... will she take a second chance on him?
'The Vow' is not a great movie. It's not even good. The writing is mediocre. What it IS is watchable, harmless, and ... nice. My major issue is that it felt like 1/2 of a movie. It left me wanting more. I cared, but only a little. I didn't cry {and I tend to with movies like this}. And I wanted to see more evidence of the loving life they had prior to the car accident. Despite an extended flashback intended to invest us in their relationship, they just came across as 2 actors giving a performance of people supposed to be in love. But that's the scripts fault, not theirs. And because most of the film shows us the Paige that existed 'before' she met Leo, we can't fully understand what drove her to fall for him & change her entire life afterwards. Nor do we necessarily care for the old Paige.
Channing Tatum is okay, here. Again, he's cast in these movies for his sex appeal. But each film he's in, I do see him progressing in his attempts to match the talents of the rest of his cast (whoever they are). Rachel McAdams is very good; nailing the nuances, second-guesses, & realistic reactions that one would have if they're trying to put their life back together during amnesia. Furthermore, she exhibits decent chemistry with Tatum. It's funny. McAdams and ... I'll say ... Ryan Gosling are 2 of the best actors out there who can ignite chemistry with whoever their co-star is in any movie they're in. That's probably the main reason why a film like The Notebook was as wildy passionate & successful as it is -- because they were BOTH in it.
Poor script, romantic cliches, plot contrivances ... but maybe it doesn't matter. This film came out on Valentine's Day weekend and made an absolute killing at the box office. 'The Vow' is pleasant enough as a date-night movie, and nothing more. Buttttt, isn't that how it used to be back in the 40s, 50s, 60s, etc? You know, when couples went out to dinner & saw a romantic movie on a romantic holiday? On those terms alone, should this film really have been more than what was called for it? That's up to you to decide. For me, it is flawed, but not altogether un-enjoyable (thanks to the physical charms/emotional warmth of the leads). As mentioned, the film just felt incomplete; especially when you realize 2 minutes before the somewhat-hopeful conclusion ... that it is indeed ending.
In the 5 years since, she had not kept contact with her domineering parents; cutting them out of her life completely (over a reason you find out later). Rather than seeing Paige's amnesia as a way for him to start a new life without her, he fights for her. Problem is, her willingness to accept that she's had a life with him for the last 5 yrs. flickers on & off. A previous ex of hers (Scott Speedman) comes back in the picture. And Paige is left to balance her recovery, her mysterious husband (whom she doesn't want to hurt), her ex-boyfriend, her mom/dad, and the ensuing reason why she cast them from her life originally. Everything hangs on whether or not Paige remembers Leo and, if she can't ... will she take a second chance on him?
'The Vow' is not a great movie. It's not even good. The writing is mediocre. What it IS is watchable, harmless, and ... nice. My major issue is that it felt like 1/2 of a movie. It left me wanting more. I cared, but only a little. I didn't cry {and I tend to with movies like this}. And I wanted to see more evidence of the loving life they had prior to the car accident. Despite an extended flashback intended to invest us in their relationship, they just came across as 2 actors giving a performance of people supposed to be in love. But that's the scripts fault, not theirs. And because most of the film shows us the Paige that existed 'before' she met Leo, we can't fully understand what drove her to fall for him & change her entire life afterwards. Nor do we necessarily care for the old Paige.
Channing Tatum is okay, here. Again, he's cast in these movies for his sex appeal. But each film he's in, I do see him progressing in his attempts to match the talents of the rest of his cast (whoever they are). Rachel McAdams is very good; nailing the nuances, second-guesses, & realistic reactions that one would have if they're trying to put their life back together during amnesia. Furthermore, she exhibits decent chemistry with Tatum. It's funny. McAdams and ... I'll say ... Ryan Gosling are 2 of the best actors out there who can ignite chemistry with whoever their co-star is in any movie they're in. That's probably the main reason why a film like The Notebook was as wildy passionate & successful as it is -- because they were BOTH in it.
Poor script, romantic cliches, plot contrivances ... but maybe it doesn't matter. This film came out on Valentine's Day weekend and made an absolute killing at the box office. 'The Vow' is pleasant enough as a date-night movie, and nothing more. Buttttt, isn't that how it used to be back in the 40s, 50s, 60s, etc? You know, when couples went out to dinner & saw a romantic movie on a romantic holiday? On those terms alone, should this film really have been more than what was called for it? That's up to you to decide. For me, it is flawed, but not altogether un-enjoyable (thanks to the physical charms/emotional warmth of the leads). As mentioned, the film just felt incomplete; especially when you realize 2 minutes before the somewhat-hopeful conclusion ... that it is indeed ending.