After much excitement and anticipation from "The Notebook" fans, "The Lucky One," the latest film adaptation of one of Nicholas Sparks' romantic novels, unfortunately disappoints.
Starring Zac Efron as U.S. Marine sergeant Logan, the movie is a story of love amidst tragic events and circumstances.
The plot begins to unfold when Logan finds a photo of a woman in the ground while at war in Iraq. The photo saves him from various enemy raids and he is, therefore, determined to find the woman in the picture and thank her.
Coming back from war, Logan discovers the woman on the picture is Beth (Taylor Schilling) and manages to get a job at the dog kennel she runs with her grandmother (Blythe Danner).
Beth has a lot of family turmoil. She lost her parents at a young age, is mourning the recent death of her brother at war, has a seven-year-old son Ben (Riley Thomas Stewart) and has to deal with an abusive ex-husband Keith (Jay R. Ferguson). However, not knowing what he was hiding, Beth finds comfort in Logan's arms and they quickly fall in love.
Drama begins when Keith brings to Beth's attention that Logan is hiding the picture she had given to her brother before he left for war. Nevertheless, in the end, Keith dies tragically and Beth quickly forgives Logan, inviting him to stay with her and Ben and become part of their family.
Overall, "The Lucky One" displays great images and scenes. It is set in a small town with a beautiful natural setting and atmosphere. However, the film lacks dialogue among characters.
Logan and Beth's conversations are far from what a regular exchange between two people that are getting to know each other would look like. They are filled with profound stares and silence.
The movie's plot and character development takes place fast - too fast. At first, Beth despises Logan, but the next day they are all over each other. Also, after discovering Logan's secret, Beth tells him she doesn't want to see him ever again. Yet, two days later, the movie concludes with a happy ending.
In general, "The Lucky One" is far more entertaining than some other Nicholas Sparks' adaptations such as "Dear John." However, it will never be "The Notebook."
It is a good movie to relax, disconnect from your studies and watch the super good-looking Zac Efron take care of dogs and play with Ben, but it does not promise much more than that.
