Seyfried and Tatum have the chemistry that’s needed to make a movie like “Dear John” believable.
The movie that finally toppled Avatar in the battle for the box office turned out to be a big surprise.
“Dear John,” a romantic, tear-jerking drama — based on the novel of the same title by popular author Nicholas Sparks — took over first place two weeks ago.
Avatar reigned for seven weeks as the No. 1 box office seller until Super Bowl weekend when “Dear John” premiered. The movie grossed $32.4 million, overtaking the number one spot for that weekend.
So what is it about the film that makes it such a success?
To start, marketing. Those involved knew their audience, namely females. Super Bowl Sunday completely dominates the entire weekend every year, no matter when it is scheduled. Something no one can explain happens on this weekend that renders all men physically incapable of focusing on anything other than football. It is their time to get together with the guys and revel in the masculine joy of football.
So what do the women do? Go see a romantic movie, of course. I can just picture a mass estrogen exodus to the nearest movie theater, all desperate to escape the hollering and overindulgence of beer and finding refuge in Channing Tatum’s abs.
Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried stick to their characters, another crucial element contributing to “Dear John’s” success. No one wants to watch a romance with no romance. The two project a convincing relationship on screen from the initial awkward meeting through the cute and cuddly dating and up to the deep intensity of a painful break up. They are, as actors are expected to be, believable.
The two characters John (Tatum) and Savannah (Seyfried) meet over the summer at a beach in Charleston and quickly fall head-over-heels for each other before circumstances soon tear them apart.
Savannah’s college commitments cut the summer to an abrupt end, and any possibilities of weekend visits are trampled by John’s duty to his country as a member of the U.S. Army. (Bear in mind, the majority of this movie takes place in 2001 — 2002) John is not simply sent far away from Savannah; he is deployed to Afghanistan. The two are then reduced to staying in contact only by writing each other letters, something which manifests itself as a struggle for both.
But there is more to this movie than just sappy romance. There is, naturally, the social element driving a wedge between them: he’s a poor boy and she’s a rich girl, something typical of Sparks’ novels. The plot wouldn’t be complete without other men vying for the leading lady’s affection, either.
Something unexpected for those who have not read the book is John’s autistic father. The strained relationship any father and son feels is painfully exacerbated because of this condition. Savannah helps bring them closer to a degree, yet John still cannot completely realize how much he loves his father until it is nearly too late. Henry Thomas, who plays the role of John’s father, is superb in embodying the handicap in an older person. He brilliantly shows how it interferes with their personal lives and how it can often drive their children away from them.
Writer Jamie Linden stayed the course and preserved all major constituents from the original novel that made it so loved initially. Very little was altered or omitted. All the major plot twists and gut-wrenching moments remain, leaving any bookworm satisfied.
Is “Dear John” the next Titanic? Probably not. There are other films out there just like it. Does it hit the spot and satisfy the romantic deep down inside you? Absolutely. My sister and I both walked away thoroughly satisfied. “Dear John” accomplished everything the producers, actors, and writers wanted it to achieve.
Leave a Reply