The Lucky One

Whenever there is a new adaptation of a Nicholas Sparks novel is released, there's always a mass amount of haters and so be it because some of them are extremely cheesy and bad, however I think that the hate towards The Lucky One is unwarranted, I personally thought it was a very enjoyable romantic drama. The Lucky One is quite different to other Sparks movies, I found the storyline to be a lot more serious and mature than normal, and the story being told from the male perspective is also a nice change.

The acting from Zac Efron is top form, as he gets older his roles get better and his acting improves with each movie, Taylor Schilling is also nice, if not being a little too old for Efron, but she brings some niceness to the character, and Blythe Danner is a bit of a scene stealer in her small role.

Yes parts of this film are a little cliché, particularly towards the end, but it's no biggie, the lack of chemistry between the two leads is a bit annoying at first but soon it changes and gets better, even though Taylor Schilling is nice in the role I do think that she is miscast, I think Abbie Cornish may have suited the role a little more. But even still the few flaws that this movie does have doesn't distract from the overall niceness of the film.

Zefron is all man now and he is definitely an actor to watch. Fans of the book will love it, Zac fans will love it too, generally a nice romance to enjoy with friends.

Oh yes, this is a chick-flick. One that is a proper showcase to prove Zac Efron has grown up to be a heck of a hunk! Also, you can never, ever find anything to fault with any performance turned in by Blythe Danner. She has been perfect in any role I've ever seen her in, this one is no exception. I have to say that logic does step in and you want, desperately, to say, "Oh for goodness sake, just do what you came to do!" But if that should have happened, it would have ended up a short movie, indeed. There is enough action, romance, gentle humor, wonderful Louisiana scenery, good people, bad people, decent story-line, fine acting.…it's a pretty good movie. Nothing earth-shattering or Oscar-worthy happens here, perhaps, but it's a film I'd recommend and one I enjoyed watching.

This movie contains eye-candy (Zac Efron) and stunning scenery. It's almost like the director is counting on that to rescue a very weak script. This movie spent over and hour and a half trying to make us "feel" the angst of the main characters but instead I kept wanting to slap them into having some sense. I kept thinking that the actors needed more lines and less music to tell the story. It was melodramatic and entirely predictable. I do not recommend this movie in the theaters unless you have money and time to throw away.

I must add that I was impressed with Zac Efron's acting and also the boy in the movie. I was surprised that Blythe Danner lent her talent to such a weak vehicle but I'm sure there aren't many options for older actresses in this day.

When you walk into a Nicolas Sparks movie, you expect certain things. The Lucky One follows a storyline similar to most of Nicolas Sparks' other adapted novels. This is neither a good nor a bad thing. So long as the movie can stand on its own feet, it deserves recognition. On that ground, The Lucky One does hold its own. The acting is great and the story held my interest. In the end, specific problems make this movie much worse than it should have been.

The main fallback of the story is the characters. Stereotypes are abound. The mayor-to-be is the same as any story that tries to cover a trapped-in-a-small-town feel. The father is an incredibly flat character that is in no way believable. Even Zac Efron's character is too mysterious for his own good. Although Efron pulled off the role quite well, it was the way the character is presented that is the problem.

The other problem with the film is its climax. I won't give it away, but I have seen the same climax more than once. It was an unfortunate low point in a movie that was incredibly well acted. The rest of the storyline was quite unique and enjoyable. Even the modern setting of PTSD and soldiers who have served too many tours was a fascinating setting for the movie. Unfortunately, the amateur screenwriter dropped the ball.

I must point out an unfortunate fact of this movie. It's only 101 minutes. Since it is so short for a complex drama, it drops the ball on many occasions. In the beginning of the film, Zac Efron's character walks from Colorado to Missouri. This fact is almost addressed at one point, but then dropped and never brought back. Things like this happen throughout the film. These holes could have been filled with 15 to 20 minutes more screen time. Unfortunately, the push to keep films shorter made The Lucky One significantly worse.

If you are a Nicolas Sparks fan, this movie is worth seeing. If you enjoy romantic dramas, I would recommend renting The Notebook, A Walk to Remember, or Dear John. If you don't like romantic dramas, there is no reason for you to see this movie. Nicolas Sparks is one of the few authors who deliver consistently good plots. Unfortunately, his last two films have fallen flat. Maybe it's time for him to stop using the same formula again and again.

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Logan (Zec Efron) is a marine who just returned to the USA from some harrowing missions overseas. While he was there, he found a photograph that a fallen marine carried with him for protection. The lady pictured was his beautiful wife, Beth (Taylor Shilling). Finding the likeness very appealing, Logan feels compelled to go to Louisiana, where the couple lived, and tell Beth what he knows of her husband's situation. But, when he arrives at the kennel Beth operates with help from her bright young son and her grandmother (Blythe Danner), the lovely lady thinks he is there to apply for a job and hands him an application. Stunned, Logan does so and when Beth learns he is a marine, she hires him on the spot. Naturally, she is still grieving the loss of her husband. Surprisingly, the deceased man is not the father of Beth's child. That awful man is still around, an ex-football star who got her pregnant during their senior year. Now divorced and a police officer, this man is unbearable, always creating problems and dreaming of the day that he will get Beth back. Everyone knows its not going to happen, except him. Proving he is a hard worker and good company, Beth wants to ignore Logan's vibes but finds she can't resist them. Will a romance ensue and will it last? What will the abusive ex-husband do if he finds out? This is a fair romantic drama, with an attractive and talented cast. The setting is also a major asset, for it is very scenic and beautiful. But, the story is just not strong enough to set it apart from countless other romantic dramas. This is surprising, for Sparks usually writes great material for films. Also, here is another tale of first husbands that truly are monster-like, which occurs in quite a few of Sparks works. So, it might seem too familiar as well. All in all, if you like the author or are searching for romantic movies that are fewer and fewer in number, you should give this one a try. While not outstanding, it has some passionate kisses that will please fans.