Das Lächeln der Sterne

Terrible title for a movie that is not nearly as terrible as some critics have suggested. At a time when there are so many romantic comedies aimed at young viewers, it's no bad thing to have the occasional romantic story that eschews humour and involves characters in middle age - think something along the lines of "Bridges Of Madison County" (both are based on novels).

The (goodlooking) stars are Richard Gere, as a doctor seeking to establish a new relationship with his estranged son in Latin America, and Diane Lane, a mother in a deeply unhappy marriage considering whether to abandon it. The (unusual) setting is the Outer Banks of North Carolina at a time of year when hurricanes are threatened. At times, it's a little silly and sentimental but still worth an evening in front of the television if not a visit to the cinema.

WTF!! Do any of his books/movies end in a happy ending?? The Notebook was good...but sheesh, enough with the depressing endings already. I'm told that he writes about realistic situations that people deal with in real life. Understandable...but sometimes it's nice to see people who have sacrificed their whole lives to only get to a mediocre unhappy time in their lives - to finally find the true meaning of happiness and are able to live it out for the rest of their days. Don't we already know what really happens in real life? Can't we - for one moment (an hour and a half) live vicariously through a movie that ends on a happy note - that gives us hope for our own futures???

Yeah - wah. I know. But for real, I think we need to preface movies that end like this one with a warning. "Beware: No happy ending."

NIGHTS IN RODANTHE brings back to the screen two talented actors in Diane Lane and Richard Gere in a simply beautiful story of a man and a woman hungry for something more in their lives than they have at present. The chemistry between Lane and Gere is magical from the first scene in the film to their last embrace. The locations, beauty of their attraction for one another when it unfolds when they first meet, and the story that follows, and as they begin to know each other with the attraction they feel towards each other is real, is romance that is projected to an audience with tender care. James Franco in another micro role is just the right casting, and the elegance of Lane in combination with the beach house, is a true Fall 2008 film to remember forever, as was THE NOTEBOOK.

Oh, my friend was just dying to see Nights in Rodanthe, I'm convinced she is absolutely in love with Richard Gere, not to mention she just loves romantic movies, so Richard Gere and romance? It's a no brainer, she just had to see this movie, guess who she begged to go with her? Yeah, me, I didn't really want to see it though, it looked too sappy for my tastes, but we got to see it for free, so I figured to just go ahead and give it a fair chance. Well, we saw it today, it was a little better than I expected, which is saying plenty. After seeing the movie Unfaithful, I really wasn't into the whole Diane and Richard being back together on screen, but for some reason they made this story more enjoyable. Even though it was predictable, it was a sweet movie, I hate the sappy movies, despite it's sappiness that I normally resent, it's still a nice movie and was just a breath of fresh air due to the recent movies that we're getting that are either thrillers, comedies, or action.

Adrienne Willis is a divorced mother of two who's ex-husband is begging to come back home after a nasty affair he had with one of her friends. She's debating on it since her children want them back together and she feels it should be that way. But when her friend leaves her to run her house on the beach that she rents out to people, Adrienne meets Paul Flanner, a doctor who has had a rough year after loosing a patient on a routine surgery, he's staying in the house with Adrienne. Loosing themselves has been so hard, but when they're together they find themselves once again and bring life back into their world realizing it's OK to be in love once more.

Nights in Rodanthe is a nice movie to watch... more so I'd say for either a rental or a matinée, I was more impressed with it than I thought I would be, but it does get predictable, which I hate to say I've just been seeing nothing but predictable films lately. Maybe I should start writing scripts if this is all it takes, I could write a number one movie maybe, wish me luck. But back onto the movie, it has decent acting and does give you watery eyes. It's a nice movie to watch, gives you a little smile and reminds you of the sweeter things in life. Richard and Diane made this movie enjoyable and were lovely on-screen together, it's worth the watch.

6/10

Nothing to say about the cinematography the acting was overall good except for James Franco none of his scenes felt natural they were very forced, the movie tries too hard to pull at Your Heartstrings, the kissing scenes are a little excessive, in conclusion, it's slightly below-average, watch if there's nothing else better to watch