Let's get one thing out of the way: I didn't enjoy The Notebook one bit. I thought it was over-hyped and I had to force myself to watch the second half of the DVD the following day. I was expecting a masterpiece and instead I got nothing but unnecessary cheese.Now for those still reading, I will say that reviews are entirely subjective and easily tainted by your experiences. In my case, I watched The Notebook with The Lawyer, who became annoyed when he realized that he wasn't getting any from me that night - or any night in the near future - and then fell asleep. That was the last time we were together. So yeah, I didn't have high hopes for a second Nicholas Sparks adaptation.
But Dear John didn't come with any hype. In fact, I expected another clichéd romantic drama that had received bad reviews. I knew I wouldn't be blown away, that it wouldn't be as good as The Notebook supposedly was, but sometimes a girl just wants to watch a romantic film (with a hot actor) no matter how terrible it may be. In the movie, a soldier falls in love with a conservative college student while he's home on a two-week leave. They promise to write everything to each other in the hopes that time will quickly pass before they're together again, but in true movie style, things get really complicated, feelings are hurt and tears are shed - and I'm not just talking about the characters. I had to pass out tissues while holding back my own.
As much as I hate to admit it (for fear of losing my "street cred"), this bittersweet film moved me so much, I couldn't wait to leave the theater and give A. a huge hug. Dare I say it made me feel...cuddly. I was rooting for the couple to work it out and stick together. I wanted them to kiss and make up and all that happily ever after crap I didn't appreciate in The Notebook. And I enjoyed the feeling.
So basically, Dear John turned me into a total girl. Le sigh...
Dear John: 3.5/5 Toasties
I've never seen The Notebook and I want to keep it that way :-) I've heard bad reviews about this one, but your review has me intrigued!
ReplyDeleteI've seen the trailer for Dear John and actually wanted to check it out. After your review, I will!
ReplyDeleteLOL I'm glad you enjoyed it.. cry baby sissy!!
ReplyDeletei was totally underwhelmed by the notebook too! i think i even saw it on the plane, when the alternative was watching a mind-numbingly dull in-your-economy-seat yoga video, so I was essentially forced to watch it. I probably won't see Dear John. But I'm glad to hear there's another Notebook hater (and twilight hater :)
ReplyDeleteI saw the trailer for this during "New Moon" and looked at the BFF and said, "We are SOOOO going to see that." I bought the book that same day and read it in one sitting.
ReplyDeleteI have yet to see it, but cannot wait to do so!
I agree...the lead actor is LOVELY!
I haven't seen Dear John, but I really want to. Thanks for sharing your opinion. I generally don't agree with "the critics" so I wasn't concerned about the bad reviews. lol
ReplyDeleteI may actually go see it now! I was definitely not a Notebook fan — my boyfriend and I watched it with another couple and were completely baffled by how much they loved it— so I didn't have high hopes.
ReplyDeleteBut I guess Amanda and Channing were too adorable to make a bad movie.
Well now I have to interject and say that there was probably a lot more chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams than there was between Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum. Channing's a really stoic guy, but still, I liked it more because of how I felt while watching it. I could've thought it was total crap if I watched it a year ago.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen either one of those movies.
ReplyDeleteI wish you lived closer so I would have a movie buddy. My girlfriends hate going to the movies?? The men in my life as well as my daughter prefer movies such as Shutter Island and anything guaranteed to scare you to death. Guess I'll go see it by myself.
ReplyDeleteInteresting. I really liked The Notebook despite the cheese, but I HATED Message In a Bottle and declared myself an anti-Nicholas Sparks person. Hadn't planned on seeing Dear John. But after this review I might just change my mind.
ReplyDeleteYou know I've never even heard of Message in a Bottle. Why was it so horrid?
ReplyDeleteI'll have to rent this one so I can watch it alone and have no one see me cry into my giant tub of popcorn. :) Sometimes I love watching movies that make me cry. I'm weird like that.
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