Nights in Rodanthe

Richard Gere and Diane Lane are way better than the material in "Nights in Rodanthe". They almost justify sitting through this George C. Wolfe movie. Almost. I am a fan of Gere and Lane, and that is what attracted me to "Nights in Rodanthe". That's my story and I'm sticking by it. Ultimately, I liked the movie, but was also disappointed at the same time. "Nights in Rodanthe" does not have a compelling and cathartic Third Act. I did some homework before seeing the movie. The screenplay by Ann Peacock and John Ramano is based on the Nicholas Sparks novel. Not having read any of his novels, Sparks also wrote "The Notebook" and "Message in a Bottle". I had passed on seeing "The Notebook". However, I saw "Message in a Bottle". That is among my all time least favorite movies. Sparks possesses a singular thematic pattern which I don't particularly care for. So the fact that there is no distinguishing Third Act may be more Sparks' failing than Peacock and Ramano's.

This is all the more disappointing. "Nights in Rodanthe" is perfectly cast with beautiful and compelling actors in Gere, Lane, and James Franco. Diane Lane is gorgeous. Richard Gere looks amazingly vibrant and fit. And casting James Franco as his estranged son Mark is a wonderful touch. Lane radiates both a strength and vulnerability in Adrienne Willis. Adrienne is coping with divorce from her cheating husband Jack (Chris Meloni), surviving as a single mom, and still mourning the loss of her father. Adrienne agrees to run a bed and breakfast inn in Rodanthe for her friend Jean (Viola Davis), while her kids Amanda (Mae Whitman) and Danny (Charlie Tahan) are vacationing with Jack in Florida. Jean is taking a holiday in the Islands. Gere plays Dr. Paul Flanner, a retired brilliant plastic surgeon from Raleigh, N.C. Paul comes to Rodanthe to complete a tragedy in his life. Paul stays for 4 nights at the Inn in Rodanthe. Scott Glenn is powerful in the pivotal role of Robert Torrelson, whom Paul must atone for his past arrogance and failings.

It's a given that lost souls Adrienne and Paul will fall in love, and give each other the possibility of new life. This works because of the remarkable and captivating chemistry of Lane and Gere. Amidst the routine I got caught off guard when Lane and Gere are wondering through the attic-- Paul asks, "Who keeps you safe?" Lane admits that life often throws a curve saying, "You become what you think you're supposed to be…" Lane evokes a touching sadness and regret. Gere elicits a humane and endearing compassion. James Franco is great as Paul's son Mark. Franco has a heart wrenching scene with Lane, where he tells Adrienne, "Thank you for giving me back my father." There is a touching and understated scene where Gere has his arm around Lane as they walk on the beach following a story arc. Paul says, "I'm glad you were here…" Again Gere and Lane transcend the material. It unfortunate that much of this screen magic is wasted as director Wolfe concludes his story. "Nights in Rodanthe" deserves better and a resounding and complete resolution, even though I'm guessing that the movie is loyal to the Sparks novel. Gere, Lane, and we the audience deserve a complete and satisfying movie.

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.

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

I personally think this is the most difficult genre to pull off - romance has to create some magical reality, and some plausibility: we have to believe it could , would happen to them and to us.

Nights partially succeeds in creating some atmosphere and some nice scenes but fails to ignite into magical.

Instead what we get is just too rushed and uses too many clichés - every scene feels like it came from somewhere else - and the sparks are somehow not fireworks but squibs.

It cannot decide whether to be gentle and meditative and mature, or to be unabashedly full-on.

All in all it will be a box office winner given the stars and the lack of other material of its kind - but really this is no classic.