NIGHTS IN RODANTHE: NOT THE NOTEBOOK
For the third time, Diane Lane and Richard Gere have reunited for a film. The first two were The Cotton Club and Unfaithful. These films are considered to be decent by any moviegoer’s standards. With Nights in Rodanthe, maybe they should have held out for a better script. Based on the book of the same name, it is a predictable love story by writer Nicholas Sparks. The one bright spot is the beautiful North Carolina, where the film was shot.
Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) has promised her best friend Jean (Viola Davis) that she will take care of her inn in Rodanthe for the weekend. Adrienne is having family problems. Her cheating husband (Christopher Meloni) wants to come home after being gone for months. Her daughter Amanda (Mae Whitman) blames her for everything. Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere) has come to Rodanthe to accomplish one thing before he goes to find his estranged son in South America. He had a patient die on the table and her family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit. The patient’s husband wrote him a letter saying he wants to speak to him. Adrienne and Paul connect and fall in love over a few short days. When Paul leaves to go to South America, Adrienne and he stay in touch through letters.
The story is nothing new. It does manage to be enjoyable for the first 30 minutes but then it hits its peak and its all down hill from there. Corny lines like “What keeps you safe?” are spoken. And the romance between its stars is not believable. They seem to be just going through the motions. But the relationship between Lane and her on screen daughter Whitman is a standout. Whitman has made a career out of playing the bratty daughter. Their scenes toward the end will bring tears to your eyes. And Lane’s best friend Jean (Viola Davis) is what makes the beginning so good. Her playfulness is infectious. The best part of the film is North Carolina. From the neighborhood that Adrienne and the kids live in to the inn that she meets Paul at, North Carolina could not be shown any better. The houses are gorgeous, the sandy beaches are straight out of a postcard, and the inn is a sight all on its own. The movie makes for a great tourist advertisement.
In order to better the film the book would have to be less unsurprising. Sparks’ tends to follow a formula in all of his books and Nights in Rodanthe is no exception. The director and cast did the best job they could.
There are love stories out there that are better than Nights in Rodanthe. The leads are gorgeous but you don’t feel their love. Come for the beautiful scenery. But don’t stay for the story.
Report Card:
Story-C-
Acting-C
Visuals-B
Originality/Innovation-C-
Enjoyability Grade–C
Overall Grade-C+
|
