Dear John is the latest movie from best-selling author Nicholas Sparks. The best adaptation of his sappy novels turned films is definitely The Notebook. The strong acting and atmosphere helped the movie glide past its rough patches and cheesy writing. Director Lasse Hallstrom has fashioned an entertaining and visually pleasing version of the book Dear John. Channing Tatum (looks great, limited acting wise) and Amanda Seyfried (almost as pretty as Tatum, often whiny in the movie) are well-matched as young lovers, but when they are apart (a necessary function of the story), the movie loses focus. Dear John benefits greatly from the presence of the excellent character actor Richard Jenkins. As Tatum’s quiet, mildly autistic father, he cuts through the muck and sap that makes Sparks writing so intolerable to so many, and finds the heart beating underneath.

Dear John is about two young lovers who meet and fall in love quickly. John leaves to complete his military service, while Savannah goes off to college. Their letters to each other never stop until John’s tour is extended and their relationship is put in peril forever. The cliches never stop in Dear John, but there’s also a few nice surprises and some good supporting characters. Tatum can flex and brood but has limited range while Seyfried can be so melodramatic and whiny, she’s hard to like at times. Cinematography is often stunning and postcard pretty as sunsets and sunrises are sharply filmed but it’s Richard Jenkins who steals the entire flick from its two photogenic leads.

Dear John looks and sounds great on DVD and features a number of extras including outtakes, an intriguing alternate ending, and a conversation with the director and stars of the movie. Dear John is slow and deeply flawed but there’s no denying it’s a pretty movie to look at and Jenkins makes it worth a watch. It’s a mixed review, but a mild recommendation for Dear John.

Grade: B-

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