Saturday, February 6, 2010

Dear John – Movie Review

dear_john

This is pretty much a chick flick. But I do not mind chick flicks when well done. And this is very well done. The characters are pretty standard, but the acting helps them rise above.

Channing Tatum (Tyree) could have been entirely wooden with that build, but he brought a sense of depth that really boils over near the end of the movie in an emotional scene with his father. I’ve seen him before in Step Up, and I suppose it is now necessary for me to embarrass myself by admitting to liking that movie too :-)

Amanda Seyfried (Savannah) is probably best known for her role in Mama Mia! - and her musical talent is given free reign in one long scene early in the movie. But she too brings more depth than would be strictly necessary for this movie.

The supporting cast almost steals the show at times. Richard Jenkins has been around a long time and plays the slightly-autistic father of Tyree. He is used to echo both of the two running themes in the movie, autism – a passion of Savannah’s, and coin collecting – Mr. Tyree’s passion and something that eventually ties the movie all together with a bright red bow.

There is at least one really cool, and ultimately painful twist. Sufficiently surprising that the whole audience murmured loudly. And of sufficient importance that it resolves the whole movie. Things play out from there almost exactly as you would hope, and yes, I do realize that this does not make for highly-praised “art” … but it does make for a great date :-)

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