SYNOPSIS:
It was two weeks that would change
their lives forever. Soon after John (Channing Tatum –
PUBLIC ENEMIES, G.I. JOE) and Savannah (Amanda Seyfried -
MAMMA MIA, TV's “Big Love") fall madly in love,
their relationship is put on hold. With one leaving to complete
his service, and the other to complete her college education,
they pass the time by exchanging a continuous stream of love
letters, until they can be reunited permanently a year later.
But when war breaks out, their separation is extended indefinitely.
Will their relationship survive the greatest test of all:
the test of time? Based on the bestselling novel from the
author of “The Notebook,” DEAR JOHN is a timeless
romance that will warm your heart.
MOVIE REVIEW:
"Dear
John" will not go down in history as the best adapted
Nicholas Sparks’ work but as the romantic drama which
dethroned "Avatar" from its number one spot in the
box-office.
Filmed
on a modest budget of $25 million, "Dear John" tells
the story of two young lovers, John (Channing Tatum) and Savannah
(Amanda Seyfried) who has to leave each other for a year after
two weeks of whirlwind courtship. The former has to return
to the US army to serve out his remaining duty while she has
to return to college. They promised to constantly write each
other letters to keep their romance blossoming and going.
But the tragedy of September 11, 2001 forces John to choose
the country over Savannah as he extends his enlistment leaving
Savannah alone to make a decision that will alter their lives
forever.
Avid
followers of Sparks’ novels and the feminine demographic
will not be disappointed with "Dear John". Director
Lasse Hallström (Hachiko: A Dog’s Story, Chocolat)
is an adept hand in creating sentimental, emotional pieces
while not over-relying on the tear-jerker factor, something
in which Nick Cassavetes commit with Spark’s "The
Notebook". Although Cassavetes has a stronger material
to work with, Hallström crafts an old-fashioned romance
using old-school snail mails as a form of communication between
the love birds. Earlier on, John has declared that he has
no access to the internet while on duty so emails, Facebook
are definitely out in case you are wondering.
Truthfully, the romance factor is not the
one that turns on the waterworks. It’s the genuine father-and-son
relationship between John and his obsessive coin-collecting
father, Mr Tyree (Richard Jenkins) that serves as the highlight
of the movie. Tatum who is more well-known for his stiff acting
gives a satisfying performance especially in a scene reading
his written letter to his dying father. Seyfried on the other
hand fairs reasonably well although her character will be
critiqued by many males for doing the most detestable thing
in the world – marrying someone else while your boyfriend
is away.
One
glaring factor about "Dear John" (although nothing
much to do with the filmmakers) is that this DVD is slapped
with an NC-16 for a scene of intimacy revealing the questionable
state of our censorship board. Ironically there aren’t
any naughty bits to justify the harsh rating other than fuzzy,
close-ups of the two lovebirds having a good time.
On
the whole, romantic suckers will surely find "Dear John"
rewarding and satisfying but the rest might jolly well shunned
away from the clichéd plotline and tearful heartbreak
that Sparks frequently weep (whip) up.
SPECIAL FEATURES :
NIL
AUDIO/VISUAL:
The overall visual presentation of "Dear John"
is natural and sweet. The audio is pitch-perfect for a romance
drama and you can even savour Seyfried’s own composition,
"Little House" on the loving soundtrack.
MOVIE RATING:
DVD
RATING :
Review
by Linus Tee
Posted on 31 May 2010
|
