Rated PG-13 for language, sexual situations, partial nudity, violence and adult content

By Patrick Sessoms
BEACON COLUMNIST

posted Feb 17, 2012 - 4:52:54pm

Featuring two stars known for their work on such films as The Notebook and Dear John, The Vow seemed destined to become the chick flick of the year. And that’s exactly what makes it one of the more pleasant surprises so far this year. While it’s not quite an epic love story for the ages, it’s a cute date movie that shies far enough from the realm of cheesy to remain endearing.

The Vow follows a young married couple rocked by tragedy. After a car crash, Paige (Rachel McAdams) is left with no memories of her husband, Leo (Channing Tatum). Leo desperately tries to piece things together for his wife, but after months of her not regaining her memories, he is faced with the task of getting her to fall in love with him all over again, which wouldn’t be so difficult if not for her estranged parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange) trying to force their way back into their daughters' life. To make matters worse, Paige’s ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) has no qualms about trying to rekindle a romance with a married woman. So, Leo has to fight tooth and nail for the woman he loves who never remembers loving him.

As sappy as the plot sounds, The Vow comes off as sweet-natured and avoids potential melodrama. Director Michael Sucsy keeps the movie focused on the humorous aspects and keeps the sentimentality light, never drawing things out longer than necessary. The film moves at a constant speed and never gets bogged down in scenes filled with tears as the two face the difficulties that come from starting over.

Tatum and McAdams work wonderfully together, and it’s no surprise they keep getting cast in romantic movies. Tatum especially, who is well-known for his monotone and confused expression, pulls it together and actually delivers a decent performance. Together, it’s easy to believe the love that their characters had for each other, since the duo share such great chemistry. It might be a stretch to call their performances “emotionally charged,” but they do enough with the material to distract from the cliché amnesia plot device.

The Vow isn't anything extraordinary, but it's a great date movie. While it has all the clichés that we have come to expect from the genre, The Vow walks through a dangerous minefield without setting anything off. Sure, there are parts that seem as though they were forced into the film to flesh out the characters, but because the movie constantly moves forward and lets the two leads do what they do best. These faults are blips, gone well before they have a chance to make any significant impact on the audience. So, gear up for date night. This week might not be so bad.

Stars & Popcorn grade: 2 stars, 3 1/2 popcorn

— Born and raised in the sunshine state, Patrick grew up loving movies. He’s currently attending the University of Central Florida and is a Cinema Studies major. Along with being the president of Stars and Popcorn, he’s a player in the independent comics scene.

Sponsored by Liebe Entertainment Group, Marketplace 8. Click here to see showtimes for The Vow

Visit Stars and Popcorn at www.starsandpopcorn.com

— info@beacononlinenews.com

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