The plot of this film is an extraordinary love story based upon the novel by first time author and pharmaceutical salesman, Nicholas Sparks.  Subsequently he has written A Walk to Remember and Message in a Bottle. 

            I don't know anything about Sparks' writing craft, but regardless, his novel and this film have a killer plot.  The venue for the film is South Carolina in the 1940s and this period piece crosses genders and ages quite successfully.  What we learn from the DVD special features is that Sparks received 25 rejects before a publisher picked up his novel and offered him $1M.  You can imagine his reaction given the fact that he held down a $30,000 a year salesman position.  Once published, word of the story circulated quickly and the novel landed a spot on the New York Times bestseller list.

            One of the things I appreciated about this story was the character development for the two romantic lead protagonists, Noah and Allie.  There is a dramatic class difference, a common artistic sensibility, a clash in life purpose, a major financial schism and an overwhelming mutual attraction.  The author has built a male romantic lead role based almost wholly upon actions, some extravagant, some outrageous, but all with a far reaching total life commitment of intent.  And the female romantic lead exhibits an irresistible fiery spirit, more attractive than any physical beauty.

            Yet with all this intensity, the film is politically correct, and probably PG.  There is the sexual restraint of the 40s that helps, but even when a sexual union is consummated, it's not shown and there is never any nudity filmed.

            Rick Cassavetes, the son of John Cassavetes and Gena Rowland, directed the film.  Gena appears as one of the leads in the film.  Cassavetes was able to capture the feel of the story as well as the facts and logistics of the plot.  Add to this some great casting: Joan Allen and Sam Shepherd provided strong support roles, Gena Rowland and James Garner were support leads to Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, two new young actors that captured me with their intensity.  Finally the piece de résistance was the beautiful scenery of South Carolina and unique buildings used as the sets.  These became the stage for a good story. 

You'll find the special features on the wide screen side of the DVD.  Skip the first couple, which are jsut feature commentaries; click the 'more' at the bottom of the screen and step through the three background segments.  I don't remember the titles.  Some interesting items to me were the weather the actors had to endure, the 1940s recreations and the buildings they found for sets.  The nursing home, for example, was created using a 'kit mansion' purchased out of the Sears & Roebuck catalog for $5,300 and built in the 1920s. 

Reviewed April 3, 2005

MPAA: Rated PG-13 for some sexuality.