A Walk to Remember
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Movie Reviews of A Walk to Remember
Movie Review: Heart-wrenching story, intelligent filmmaking & performances
Summary: 5 Stars
A very close friend of mine told me a couple of months ago that he saw this film, and by the end of it, he was weeping uncontrollably. I was fairly surprised when he told me this, and soon, I made it my priority to see this film, not just because of that, but also because it looked like something I wanted to see, just from looking at the previews. I finally did see this film, and by the end, I not only wept once, not twice, but three times: twice during the film, and once more after it had already ended. It was that powerful and cutting.I can say right from the start that this film stands apart from most of the typical teen romantic flicks out, and is much more intelligent, emotive, profound and thought-provoking than most. Don't let the "teen romance" title fool you: this film is profound in all cylinders as to transcend a label like that, and powerful enough to win over viewers well into their middle ages, and higher.
The story is about a rebellious male youth named Landon (played by Shane West) who gets into trouble with the law due to an act of hazing, and is sent to tutor some kids at a school. He then meets a brainy, goody-goody Preacher's daughter named Jamie (played by singer Mandy Moore), and needless to say, when they meet, both of their lives begin to change. Landon's friends don't think much of Jamie, and make fun of her when she passes them by in and out of school. At first, Landon doesn't seem to think too much of her either, but, he soon realizes the precociousness, maturity, understanding and intelligence she possesses, as well as realizing her ability to see through him: things that he didn't seem to get from any of his friends. As a result, Landon feels a strong confliction within himself, as he seems to be transfixed at the knowledge and perceptive ability of his soon-to-be girlfriend. But, he realizes that if he gets closely involved with this girl, that he may be jeopardizing his bad-boy reputation, as well as his relationship with his bad-boy buddies.
There are a vast number of important scenes within this film - some of which give 'slight' (and I mean that in the smallest sense of the term) hints of what the eventual outcome of the story is, and only after viewing the movie a second or third time is when you can detect them. But, other than that, I don't think I ever could have predicted how the story was going to turn out while watching this movie for the first time. (And I've never read the book upon which this is based.)
I don't want to give away the biggest turning point in the movie, but I'll list a small few important scenes:
(1). Landon realizes that he likes Jamie, and is invited, and willing to study with her at Jamie's house. The next day, while hanging out with his friends, she walks up to him and asks him if he still wants to come to the house, and he humiliates her in front of all of his friends. But, when school ends, and his friends are no longer around him, he sneaks over to her house.
(2). Due to jealousy, Landon's ex-girlfriend (and some of his friends) make an attempt (which actually worked) to humiliate Jamie in front of the whole school during a lunch period. Landon steps in, and defends Jamie, which turns into a small fight, and the eventual announcement of an ending regarding Landon and one of his friends' relationship.
Later in the movie, things start to change and progress quite rapidly. Things start to unravel, secrets come out, and things are never quite the same: in both a negative and positive sense.
To talk about another subject, I was a bit disappointed by the length of the film at first - before I actually began to view it. At first glance, I wanted it to be a bit longer, and I read another review somewhere on this film by someone saying that some of the romantic scenes should have been fleshed out more. I can see where that reviewer is coming from, but after the movie ended, I came to this conclusion: if any of these scenes would have been fleshed out more, I think the emotive power would have been too much to the point of self-indulgence, which in return would have bordered on parody and cliché, which then would result in the eventual loss of the emotional impact intended. It's that aspect in which I think the writer and director knew exactly what they were doing, as not to compromise the emotional impact, as well as refusing to let the project fall into clichéd routines. I honestly don't think there could have been much of an improvement over what was already done, without the compromise of some really important elements.
Actress Daryl Hannah and actor Peter Coyote give good, supporting roles as Landon's mother and Jamie's father respectively.
I heartily applaud this film, the writers and the actors: particularly Mandy Moore and Shane West, as I think they gave an excellent performance. They all helped to make a romantic film that transcends labeling and clichés in a market full of each. Highly recommended.
Movie Review: Poignant, Sensitive Story
Summary: 5 Stars
Another Amazon reviewer who has consistently given me good recommendations, directed me to this movie. I'm glad he did because had he not, I might never have watched because this movie appears to be just another maudlin teen movie. Instead I found the story to be sensitive and compelling.We are introduced to Landon Carter (Shane West) at the very beginning of the movie. Landon is one of the "popular" crowd, and he and several other teenagers have challenged another teenager to jump into a pool of water, where he immediately becomes injured. I quickly disliked Landon and had him pegged as shallow with too much time on his hands; his only goal was to have fun. During the initial portion of the movie I struggled to keep watching because Landon's character was too stereotypical and too shallow. Landon is the kind of person I avoided in high school.
Soon we meet Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore). Jamie is everything that Landon is not. She is serious and focused. She is involved and has goals. It's also immediately apparent that Jamie is considered a geek and is about as far from being popular as a high school person can be. Yet, I found Jamie to be far more interesting than Landon, and once she was introduced I started to become interested in the story.
At first I thought that Landon was going to spend a fair amount of time trying to have sex with Jamie. He started his relationship in just that way. Jamie has a healthy dose of skepticism for the motives of "popular" males and sees his advances for what they are. Jamie intrigues Landon. She is everything he is not. Landon likes her self-assurance, her goals for the future. In spite of his background, he finds himself falling for her.
Jamie, on the other hand, is the daughter of Reverend Sullivan, played by Peter Coyote. Initially it appeared that the Reverend was a very restrictive father, particularly since Jamie is not allowed to date. Eventually Landon talks with Reverend Sullivan and asks him if Jamie can go to dinner with him. While Reverend Sullivan is at first reluctant, he senses Landon's sincerity and relents, with strict admonition regarding the time that Jamie must be home.
We are soon deeply involved in the romance between Jamie and Landon. Jamie shares her goals with Landon, some of which he tries to make come true. One of my favorites was Jamie's goal of being in two places at once. Landon figures a cool way of making it happen. Jamie has a lengthy list of goals, a number of which Landon makes come true.
Eventually we find that Jamie has a secret that she reluctantly must share with Landon. Rather than pushing Landon away, Jamie's secret causes Landon to fall so deeply in love with Jamie that the rest of the movie is incredibly, wonderfully beautiful and poignant.
I puzzled for much of the first part of the movie to figure out what this movie was really about. Was it about Landon? Was it about Jamie? Was it about the two of them together? It took me until the end of the movie to realize that the central character was always Landon. Jamie remains the same person from the beginning to the end, a beautiful soul. Landon starts the film as a shallow person, but changes his life to one of purpose by his exposure to Jamie. We see Jamie fill Landon with a sense of resolve that will carry him through the rest of his life.
After having seen so many awful teen movies, it was wonderful to find one that treated teenagers as people with hopes, dreams and goals. Jamie's secret is profound and sad, but Jamie's secret was but one step in Landon becoming a sensitive man with goals of his own. Therein lays the beauty of this movie. It recognizes that all things beautiful require evolution, and the love that Jamie and Landon share evolves naturally versus a single event that pushes the two toward love. I strongly recommend this movie for teenagers and older family members, avoiding the younger members of the family due to some of the situations and profanity. Just be sure to have a box of tissues handy.
Movie Review: Unlikely to forget "A Walk to Remember"
Summary: 5 Stars
"A Walk to Remember " is not your typical teen movie. Based on the best-selling novel of the same title by Nicholas Sparks, "A Walk to Remember" tells the bittersweet story of first love with a maturity not often found in adult on-screen relationships. The compelling screen presence of the film's leads, Mandy Moore and Shane West, is a result of the charisma and chemistry between the actors. The film opens in Beaufort, North Carolina, with a tense scene at the town's cement factory. West's character, wealthy and popular Landon Carter, and his group of "friends" dare a wanna-be clique member to jump from a platform into the murky water below. The diver is injured and Landon is left alone to suffer the consequences after a failed attempt at escape. Landon's punishment for the accident is far from hard time. He is ordered to tutor children on weekends, and, strangely enough, forced to participate in the school's annual musical. This is all in hope that exposure to other activities will help Landon reform his rebellious ways. The authorities, of course, never take into consideration that his rebellion may be a result of a lack of male role model in his life. His father, a cardiologist, is not an active part of Landon's life since divorcing Landon's mother.
It is during rehearsals that Landon is "introduced" to Moore's character, Jamie Sullivan, despite having known her his entire life. Jamie is the motherless daughter of Beaufort's Baptist minister. Dressed in horribly outdated clothing without a speck of make-up, and entirely unafraid to express her faith, Jamie is hardly the type of girl ultra-cool Landon would associate with by choice. Jamie even tutors for fun-imagine that!
Landon finds himself spending more and more time with Jamie outside of school. During school hours, however, Landon must keep his distance in order to save his reputation. It is at opening night of the school play when Landon sees Jamie in a whole new light; okay, let's be honest-it had to be the dress. It also could have been Jamie's mesmerizing, angelic sounding solo. Jamie's physical transformation helps Landon become aware of the new feelings Jamie stirs inside him. This may sound superficial, but, strangely enough, it's not portrayed as such. Jamie's wardrobe improvements don't last through the night, but Landon's feelings persist. He even finds himself defending her honour in the school cafeteria-something his "friends" are unlikely to let him live down.
Gradually the two find themselves falling in love, despite Jamie's initial insistence that Landon not fall for her. Each opens up the other's world to new experiences. At this point in the film you know that such sweet happiness cannot last. You can sense tragedy waiting without knowing why you feel that way. While watching the film you yearn for a happy ending while thinking, at the same time, the film wouldn't be complete with one.
The tear-jerking curve ball is certainly typical of author Nicholas Sparks. While screenwriter Karen Janszen doesn't follow the novel exactly, the audience is able to understand the basic story. Adam Shankman, who also directed last year's big screen blockbuster "The Wedding Planner," starring Jennifer Lopez and Matthew McConaughey, directs the pair to an outstanding performance. The supporting roles of Landon's mother, played by a horribly brunette Darryl Hannah, and Peter Coyote's role of Reverend Sullivan add familliarity to a talented, young cast.
My verdict: if you're looking for an action-packed thriller, don't go see this film. On the other hand, if you're looking for a wonderfully heart-warming story or, if you're a parent whose kids are looking to see a flick, this is the film to choose. In the often less than G-rated Hollywood film industry, "A Walk to Remember" is truly a gem. My advice: bring tissues; "A Walk to Remember" isn't easy to forget. Its effects will last beyond the closing credits.
Movie Review: Beautiful...a Classic in the Making
Summary: 5 Stars
First off, please pay no heed to the critics on this one. They seem to have written it off as just another in a long line of typical teen films, giving it their typical (and apparently recycled) reviews for such films. In their prejudice, they fail to realize the uniqueness of this film, especially in this day and age. Sure, the story -- based on the best-selling Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name -- is nothing new: big man on campus falls in love with misunderstood misfit harboring a tragic secret. The difference here is in the presentation. Instead of the jaded, busy and noisy perspective taken by most teen films, "Walk" is quiet, gentle, full of hope. The plot is simple enough. Popular bad-boy Landon Carter (Shane West) is sentenced to various after-school activities as punishment for his participation in a prank gone terribly wrong. Consequently, he comes into contact with do-gooder Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore), the preacher's daughter and school outcast. They grew up together, so he thinks he's got her all figured out; but as they spend more time together, he comes to realize that he never really knew her at all. They begin an uneasy friendship that blossoms into more. Along the way, they share some of the most romantic moments ever on film. Sadly, a tragic twist threatens to end their happiness.
The film benefits greatly from its two young leads, both of whom turn in outstanding, genuine performances. West has the difficult task of portraying a young man who undergoes a life-changing transformation from angry, aimless troublemaker to thoughtful, loving young man. His depiction is so convincing that by the end of the movie, you can actually see on Landon's face that he has indeed found inner peace from his prior internal tumult. West is especially brilliant in the school play scene where, without uttering a single word, he manages to display Landon's inner struggle over his feelings for Jamie. Quite a thing to behold. Moore is a revelation here as well. In her first lead role, she has chosen quite a difficult (and beloved) character to play, one that if not done right would inspire snickers and laughter rather than tears and sympathy. It is a tremendously challenging and pivotal role. And Moore pulls it off beautifully. Displaying strong screen presence, she shows acting range that belies her theatrical experience. She imbues Jamie with the ethereal radiance and quiet serenity required of her character (and by the novel). Rarely -- if ever -- will you see a more gentle, sincere and altogether believable portrayal of innocence. Together, these two are magic, sharing a chemistry that is not only natural and warm, but palpable and electric.
As with any film, "Walk" is not without its flaws. The directing could have been better to help in the flow of the narration. The film could have been about 15 minutes longer to sufficiently develop Jamie and Landon's relationship (though I suspect there were many deleted scenes). And it does not entirely stick to the novel. Those who have read the novel will find that there are many differences. Amazingly, however, the film still manages to capture the feel and essence of the book in that it can make your heart full and break it at the same time. Moreover, it dares to believe in faith and hope. It dares to believe in the transforming power of love. It dares to believe that young people are capable of true, intense and everlasting love. And though it happens to feature teens, it has a universal message -- and that message is up to the viewer, for it never seeks to preach.
More than just a love story, "A Walk to Remember" is anything but typical. Ultimately, it is about faith and hope...and living. No superficial make-overs or fart jokes here, folks.
Memorable, indeed.
Movie Review: Aristotle's Poetics - A Serious Reflection
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw this movie for the first time this year (2007). I didn't read the book. So, you only have my impression of the movie.
For anyone who hasn't walked into a sound stage area or studied the Screenplay Paradigm, modern dramatic movies follow the three act model described by Aristotle in his brief but powerful essay called Poetics. As a side note, if you aspire to become a dramatic writer and you haven't read Poetics, shame on you.
Shane West and Mandy Moore are the stars of the movie with Shane's Landon Cater as the voice of the play with all action going through him. So, he is the protagonist. You may not have much sympathy for him in the first act, but then you get an impression that he isn't the bully he's portrayed initially. The subtext shows him as more carrying and torn between a kind and gentle nature on his own and the need to associate with the click and bullies of his high school. He also has issues with abandonment of his father acted out in interchanges with his mother played by Daryl Hannah in a dark brunette hair piece.
Forced by an incident where he is caught drinking and hurting another boy in a gang related incident, he has to interact with Jamie. First, he associates with her while tutoring disadvantaged children and secondly as an actor in the school's spring play.
The interactions between Jamie and Landon are push pull until the second act, which occurs in a major plot point set in the school's screen play. Landon becomes transformed and goes on a path of actions aimed to help Jamie reach her list of goals.
The antagonists in the play become his former gang buddies who play jokes on Jamie and take Landon to task for associating with Landon's new love interest, Jamie, the daughter of Reverend Sullivan played by Peter Coyote. (He gives an outstanding performance as a strong, insightful, honest and kind character.)
The third act begins with a major plot point that swings the action when Jamie tells Landon she has leukemia. Landon's personal fall occurs as all good students of Poetics know, when Landon goes from a winner having a life changing event. Landon has a great relationship with a beautiful, talented and witty woman that inspires and strengthens him. Suddenly he finds out that everything that raised him to a self-confident young man will disappear. It also throws him back to his primary emotion conflict, the experience of loss that came when his father divorced his mother.
Act three takes shape when Landon runs to hid father played by David Lee Smith. Landon feels spurned by his father, while his father actually attempts to help.
Act III goes by quickly. The sympathy grows in the audience for Landon and Jamie as she gets closer to death. Resolution occurs when the antagonists come to apologize.
In Poetics, the model governing the movie is a tragedy. The audience is genuinely moved. Landon loses Jamie and all the disharmony with her father transforms to love.
I've been on many sets, worked in a cutting room, made documentaries and have written screenplays. I recognized every fade, set, cut and shot in the film and it still gripped me emotionally as if it really happened to me.
Do I think of its as a great movie? I do, in spite of the sudden disappearance of Daryl Hannah's and David Lee Smith's characters. I can give you a lengthly list of movie making flaws. But, I cannot argue with the results of a budget-challenged movie.
Ms. Moore and Mr. West gave performances I thought they had within them to pull off. Instead of musical performers, they appeared as well trained artists from major programs. They met the challenge of Aristotle and passed brilliantly.