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Director Lasse Hallström pulls off a surprise ending to this otherwise seemingly ordinary romantic thriller; in doing so, he redeemed what would otherwise have been a movie not worth a mention. Sure, the movie is sweet for the most part and the dramatic moments are nothing to brag about, but Hallström has been hiding the real love story all along; when it's revealed in the last scenes, we ask ourselves, how could I have not seen this and then you melt. But you do have to stick it out to the end. I don't wish to spill the beans so I'll keep mum about it. I understand some viewers are not going to be interested in the movie because of the cast, but the director's following is not without merit; after all he delivered Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, Chocolat and Cider House Rules, and it's his uncanny ability to tell a story like no others is what made me want to watch the movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed this as I do most Nicholas Sparks adaptions. You basically know what your going to get going in so you can't complain too much. There's star crossed romance, a small North Carolina town, a body off water (usually including a boat ride, a rain storm or at least some kissing in the rain), a demented ex-boyfriend or husband, a kid and/or an older grandma or uncle type person. (Red West in this case) -I remember him from 'Roadhouse', he hasn't aged at all.

This story was more of a drama/thriller than most of Sparks' straight out romances and reminded me very much of that Julia Roberts movie 'Sleeping with the Enemy'. The story follows a woman on the run who starts a new life in a small (North Carolina) town and reluctantly falls for a widowed father. It's suspenseful, full of twists and turns, some mystery and a big twist at the end -which after reading the book I'd been curious if they'd even include in the movie because its so random.

I enjoyed both Julianne Hough and Josh Duhamel, their romance and chemistry was good, not great or epic (The Notebook) but nice, believable.

I also really enjoyed David Lyons, who takes on the tasty role of the bad guy here. He's the kind of character you love to hate and it was intriguing watching him slowly unravel into an alcoholic haze in his hunt for Katie.

And (despite myself) I liked the ending with the letter "to her." Now that was a real Nicholas Sparks moment. 6/16/15

I took my girlfriend to see this, mostly as she cant miss a love story film.... she wasn't disappointed with this. She loved every minute of it. As a male, I thought it was a bit wet, but still enjoyed it. Hough was an easy actress to watch, not only pretty, but accomplished at her art. This was seemingly written for her girlish look and persona. The scenery and cinematography were nothing short of amazing... Locations were perfect, id live there in a heartbeat.... Duhamal was frankly excellent in this role too, he played his part perfectly, and was the perfect choice for this film.

The script was given a twist, and I sat through most of the film not quiet sure what was going to happen next, it definitely kept me intrigued, although I found it a little slow at a few points, i still walked away liking the film as a whole.

Definitely worth going to see, certainly on the big screen, as the locations were amazing....

Great suspenseful romance, great casting and beautiful location. Acting is great, characters are great- in the mood for a good romance- Nicolas Sparks is your man. Can't see how anyone can have anything to gripe about in this film.

I will not compare this movie with the novel on which it is based because I have not read it. "Safe haven" is not innovator at all, it is one more romantic drama with a quiet predictable ending, but at the same time, with some mystery and some twists that kept me amused and paying attention during its entire length. It is not as good as "The notebook", but it is better than "Dear John" and "The lucky one", in my opinion. Anyway, these four are very alike to each other and based on the respective novels written by the same author. Lasse Hallstrom proofs again he is an efficient director of dramas (I cannot say versatile, because he has not directed more genres ). He has been able to take advantage of the cast, which is not particularly great, but good enough. The photography is one of the best elements of the movie. It is mainly located in Northern Carolina (in a quiet coastal village) and I really liked the environment. The pace is fluid. It made me pay attention from the beginning. It does not obviously have the same pace that action movies should have. The plot contains just a few good unexpected twists and some flashbacks. The plot is easy to follow and adds no confusion, which is good. The acting is good enough. I am not a fan of any actor from this mo vie, but they all did a decent job and are believable in their respective roles. Josh Dushamel and Julianne Hough are the two leading ones, specially her, who is not famous at all. In conclusion, those who really like this sort of movies will surely enjoy this one even though it is not a top romantic drama. The intrigue and photography are added value. The cast is not great, but good enough. The film is well-paced, but it is not original at all. 7,25.