Rama's Screen

DEAR JOHN is the sweet, heartbreaking, romantic drama of the year. Where love is put to the test through separation, war, and the touch choices we make. It’s safe to say that this movie is this decade’s The Notebook. DEAR JOHN is quite possibly… the first time that we actually get to see Channing Tatum’s decent acting ability. Amanda Seyfried is luminous, you can’t keep your eyes off of her. Director Lasse Hallstrom who brought us The Cider House Rules and Chocolat captures the essence and complexity of the story that would not disappoint Nicholas Sparks’ fans and fans of romantic drama everywhere.

Directed by Lasse Hallstrom and based on the novel by best-selling author Nicholas Sparks, “Dear John” tells story of John Tyree (Channing Tatum), a young soldier home on leave, and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried), the idealistic college student he falls in love with during her spring vacation. Over the next seven tumultuous years, the couple is separated by John’s increasingly dangerous deployments. While meeting only sporadically, they stay in touch by sending a continuous stream of love letters overseas–correspondence that eventually triggers fateful consequences.

I have yet to read this Nic Sparks book so I’m not going to make a comparison in this review but what I do know is that DEAR JOHN is successful in that it’s not quite formulaic. Maybe that’s what it would seem from the beginning and half way through but what it does really well is that it connects with its target audience not only in the emotional level but also in the motives. At one point, the story drives you to somewhat take sides because it makes it seem like there’s one to blame in this relationship but then it helps and makes you understand why the characters take the route that they do and it’s a reasonable cause, one that you can hardly argue. I’d like to think the movie does have a twist, the kind that adds to the yearning and the regrets.

I was disappointed in the previous Nic Sparks adaptation, Nights In Rodanthe because unlike DEAR JOHN, Rodanthe didn’t have enough heart, it was straight up tear jerker and there was nothing unique about the direction of George C. Wolfe.
But with DEAR JOHN, director Lasse Halstrom knows how to introduce and clearly develop the characters to the point where there’s no way that you can easily ignore them. It’s a heartbreaking story but Halstrom doesn’t let it just fall apart without a hopeful resolution and even then, he doesn’t approach it abruptly because in a way he wants this movie to be a reminder that being away from your loved one does hurt like hell and that being needed by someone else can sometimes be the remedy. Nobody is the bad guy in this scenario, it’s just the thing that makes love and beautiful and painful at the same time. And we know that, DEAR JOHN reminds you of that.

The father and the son at one point share a fascination of coins and so Halstrom makes sure you’d get to see how the coins are made. I guess it’s a cardinal rule in Nic Sparks’ adaptation that it’s not about e-mails or text messaging, it’s all about good old, hand-written letters and just like the coins, DEAR JOHN will have you go through the nifty process of how a letter would get from one hand to another.
That coin factor especially rings true throughout the entire film, it’s what John believes himself to be…the obligation and duty he has for his country and at the same time, it’s also a symbol of the two people that keep bringing him home no matter how long he tries to stay away.

Keep a close eye on Amanda Seyfried because that girl is as talented as she is beautiful. Seyfried is a force to be reckon with. She plays Savannah with a selfless, compassionate personality, putting the wellness of others before her. Savannah is the kind of girl you’d wanna marry because she’s the kind of girl who’s interested in your family just as much as she’s interested in you.
Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins who plays John’s father will floor you because even when he’s just a supporting role in this movie, this brilliant veteran actor gives it all he’s got.
Those of us who’ve made fun of Channing Tatum for an actor who can’t play other characters but himself in all his movies would have a slightly different opinion after watching DEAR JOHN. It’s a good start for the actor in showing that he’s got more to offer than just his looks. If I’m not mistaken, this is the third time he’s played some type of soldier (Stop-Loss, G.I. Joe).
Some might say that Savannah and John are typical in that a girl tends to be attracted to guys who are mysterious, guys they see would be protective of them. Not to mention young love cultivating in just 2 weeks. But staying apart isn’t as easy as falling in love. The question of will they see each other soon.. remains.

* Place the cursor on the image below to check my grade for this film