After receiving a call from my fellow film reviewer about seeing the film "Dear John" in Leicester square last night (30.03.2010) I got excited about the fact that my first film review will be about a film that has not yet been released in the UK cinemas. Sitting through the film I started to think to myself how am I going to write any positives about "Dear John".
Dear John is a romantic drama about a young soldier who is on a two
week leave from the Special Forces (Channing Tatum) who falls in love with Savannah (Amanda Seyfried). Both John and Savannah quickly fall in love only to confront the realism of John having to return to the army. They keep their love alive by writing to each other but only to find that the biggest test is to hold onto their love for each other.
After half an hour of watching the film, I have to be honest, I couldn't care less about the characters. Everything seemed to happen quite fast and before I knew it they were in love, had a fight and were in love again. Although I was watching the two "up and coming" Hollywood stars of tomorrow, I couldn't help but think that the roles would have suited different actors.
Having decided the story, acting and overall feel of the film wasn't working for me, I tried and look for anything that might. There really wasn't anything.
Maybe I am being a little too harsh on the film because I know there will be millions of women who may disagree with me and fall for the standard love format in film that everybody knows so well.
To sum this up, imagine the lead actor from the TV show the O.C and stick him into the setting of Dawson's Creek, take away the fancy use of words and you have "Dear John".
After the film had finished there was a Q& A session about the film. Both Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried both said "We had so much fun goofing around on set, that when the director called action we found it hard to get into character". To me this sums up the entire feel of the film.
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I saw this film advertised and wondered what it was about; thinking it would be a thought provoking romantic tale, that every girl would love. I can see you have done your best to be encouraging and positive, which makes me realise that I should wait until it's aired on TV.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review
LADS
This is a type of film i would not go to see and sounds very much run of the mill.
ReplyDeleteThe review makes it clear who will enjoy this film and who will not.
Cheers.
An honest review, trying to find something positive to say. This film won't be at the top of my viewing list in the near future.
ReplyDeleteA good balanced review of a film it must have been hard to be balanced about. I would never have been able to have been so objective. Well done.
ReplyDeleteLove your honesty! Great review.. this movie doesn't have a chance now! ;)
ReplyDeleteYou can obviously tell what the movie is about when you watch the trailer... looks like a sequel to the Notebook... i'd still watch it though - maybe because i'm a girl???