Querido John

I saw "Dear John" at a special screening and I wasn't expecting much. I thought it was going to be a decent romance film. I hoped this movie came halfway as good as "The Notebook". My very low expectations of this film were pretty cynical. But I said Hey, what could happen? And when the movie finished, I was fulfilled. I didn't think it was going to be one of the best romance movies ever and it definitely wasn't. This movie is definitely for couples. The girls will like it cause they can connect with it.I recommend for everyone to see this film. It is touching, okay acting, and it does stick to the book. This film doesn't come close to the "Notebook", but people will like it no matter what. So if you want to buy a sad, romantic film. Then I'd recommend this film.

7/10 A Pearl

Lasse Hallström, the Swedish director who gave us Chocolat (2001), Gilbert Grape (1993) and Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) is at it again - making chick flicks for guys. This means, unlike your stereotypical chick flick whose leading man is a hollow beefcakey stud with as much personality as the scenery, here we get a complex beefcakey stud whom the chicks can swoon over whilst the bros say "duuuuude he's cool."

In this case the protagonist is "John" (Channing Tatum) who plays an Army Special Forces character who can kill you with a toothpick but has total control over his emotions. Until, of couse, he meets "Savannah" (Amanda Seyfried) over his 2 week furlough before going back to war.

As you might guess, the story explores the ultimate long distance relationship as John completes his 1 year tour as a soldier while Savannah waits at home. Sounds boring? Well wait, there are complications. John's father is autistic and his mother abandoned them years ago. So John is forced to be the responsible one, but the whole war/love thing throws him out of whack.

Meanwhile Savannah has a few secrets of her own (and I gotta admit I totally didn't see it coming). And on top if it all, 9/11 hits and this forces John to make a decision whether to stay with his platoon and most likely get his butt blown off, or retire once his initial tour is over. Oh, and the movie begins with John getting blasted by gunfire, meaning the story unfolds in a huge flashback leaving us wondering the whole time if John dies or not.

This is a very sentimental flick, much like the other Hallström movies I mentioned, but it doesn't get sappy or predictable. In fact at least 3 plot twists took me by total surprise. And I'm talking like "whoa duuuuude I never saw THAT coming" surprise.

"Dear John" focuses on interpersonal relationships when duty comes into play - and I'm not just talking about duty toward your country (a cleverly woven parallel), but duty to parents, children and those who need help. This is juxtaposed against selfish happiness, or the storybook love. Pay close attention to the characters' choices & sacrifices, and how these choices are based on duty/selflessness rather than "getting the girl". I think that's what makes this a unique romance. Whereas most Hollywood romance flicks focus on the problems of 2 lovers, "Dear John" presents us with an ideal love that is complicated by external loyalties.

The trademark of Hallström movies is some other issue (not just love) driving the characters, and that's why these films aren't sappy or predictable. Another trademark is is use of gorgeous scenery, in this case the beaches of Charleston SC. He achieves a very nostalgic beach feeling, even for those of us who have only been to the beach once or twice in our lives (see also his film "Safe Haven" filmed in Southport, NC).

"Dear John" is a quiet, sentimental film, so don't expect action, car chases & robots. But it delivers a few tricky plot twists, so it's never boring. If you're not familiar with Hallström's style, I'd say it's artistic without being over-the-top artsy. Think of Kieslowsky (Blue, White, Red trilogy) or Wim Wenders (Paris Texas, Wings of Desire) or possibly even Steven Soderbergh (Sex Lies & Videotape, Solaris, Magic Mike) and you'll have a general idea of how this film feels.

I have to admit I wasn't expecting to like this film. I don't hate this type of film, but I had heard mixed feelings on Dear John, there were those who said it was touching and others who said it was too clichéd. Well after been blown away by The Notebook(book and movie), I saw Dear John. After seeing it, I don't think it is as good as The Notebook, but it was surprisingly good in my opinion. The characters are clichéd, and the beginning was a tad too fluffy for my liking, while there are some pacing issues. But while the book is better, having more depth and emotional punch, I was surprised at how touching Dear John actually was. The story is nice and believable enough, and there is some decent scripting. The direction is good too, while the cinematography and scenery are breathtaking and the score beautiful. Channing Tatum(my sister kept raving at how hot he was) and Amanda Seyfried are great and are believable together, while Richard Jenkins is heart breaking as Tatum's autistic father(I immediately sympathised with him as I have real problems with communicating with people and feeling comfortable around people and places I am not familiar with). I also liked the ending, it was ambiguous but also clever and subtle, and I think an improvement over the ending of the book(the book's only weak link). In conclusion, touching and well made, definitely worth a peek. 7/10 Bethany Cox

I love Lasse Hallström. I love Channing Tatum. Amanda Seyfried is alright, and the book is one of my favorites. But there's something about this movie that is just.. off? I can't put my finger on what it is, but regardless of having all the right components of being a romantic classic, it's just not. It could be the tempo, the conversations, lack of charm and humour (even when jokes are made), or perhaps their chemistry - but it's something not working for me. However, I've probably seen it more than ten times. Needless to say, it's not a bad movie, definitely deserving watching, and it's romantically sexy, but it's unfortunately not magical like the book.

Not having read anything about the film (or book) beforehand, I went into the cinema with no expectations, (though I was worried it might be a soppy, pull-at-the-heartstrings epic like The Notebook).

This wasn't the case. There were so many times when I thought 'Oh, I hope this doesn't happen', or 'I hope they don't do what I think they're going to do', and they didn't. There are moments of sadness, but some of them could have been made a lot worse.

The story isn't unique, (neither is The Notebook) but it is executed in a way that makes you feel as though you're watching something new. Channing Tatum is the lovable beefcake reminiscent of Marky Mark, and Amanda Seyfried is cute, delivering well executed dialogue. And I did actually think they had good chemistry, despite what other reviewers have said. Channing's John is an army boy who had a lot of issues growing up, so you can't expect him to be overly forthcoming with his emotions.

Richard Jenkins gives a great performance as the father, and even Henry Thomas is likable as the neighbour (I must be the only person in the world who hasn't seen E.T. so I didn't recognize the name at first).

To me, this was acted out a lot better (and even structured better) than Twilight: New Moon, which I assume is meant to appeal to the same audience. I know to some that isn't saying much, but perhaps our expectations are a bit high these days. If you want to see a sweet love story with likable characters, then you might just enjoy this film.