The Lucky One

This was the first Nicholas Sparks book I read and I loved it, so I had high hopes for the movie. Like usual the movies are never as good as the books are. For some reason they changed a lot of basic info. Like location. Why change the state? Any way the love making scenes were very good so if you are just going for the romance you won't be disappointed. I think that Zack played Logan well. He had a depth that I didn't expect as an actor even though he didn't have much to work with. It wasn't my favorite movie but it wasn't that bad either. Maybe if you didn't read the book first you might like it better. And for those who haven't read it but liked the movie, you should read it. You will love it.

Zac and Blythe carried this movie, unfortunately I don't think that Taylor should have been cast as the main she looks a lot older than Zac and I think there are loads of better actresses that would have made this movie a lot better. Taylor looks like she's in her late 30's and she over acts which is annoying. It would have been a 10 otherwise.

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.

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.

In Iraq, the marine Sergeant Logan (Zac Efron) finds the photo of a young woman with the message "Keep Safe X" on the back in the debris of a construction and he keeps it in his pocket. His action saves his life from a mortar fire and he believes that the girl is his guard angel that protects him.

When he returns to Colorado, he has difficulties to adjust to the civilian life with his sister's family and he decides to seek out the woman. Logan researches the landscape and finds that the place is Hamden, in Louisiana, and he walks with his dog Zeus to Hamden.

He discovers that the woman is Beth Green (Taylor Schilling), who is the owner of the Green Kennels with her grandmother Ellie (Blythe Danner). When Logan meets Beth, he is unable to tell the reason why he had traveled to Hamden. She assumes that he wants a job that she had advertised and Ellis gives the job to Logan. Soon Logan befriends Beth's son Ben (Riley Thomas Stewart) and becomes close to the family. But her former husband, Sheriff Keith Clayton (Jay R. Ferguson) does not want to make Logan's life easy.

"The Lucky One" is a sweet and dramatic romance, with pleasant characters. The director Scott Hicks explores the beautiful landscapes with a wonderful cinematography. The plot is very simple and predictable, but the chemistry among Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner and the boy Riley Thomas Stewart makes the film worth. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Um Homem de Sorte" ("A Lucky Man")