Dear John

A feel-good weepie in the same vein as The Notebook; both films are based on novels by bestselling author Nicholas Sparks, who has made sentimental modern love stories his trademark. The film’s themes of love, duty and sacrifice are sensitively explored by the direction of Lasse Hallström, previously known for his work on Chocolat and What's Eating Gilbert Grape. Hallström creates an affecting balance between romantic idealism and painful realism in this delicate, if rather corny, love story.

John Tyree (Tatum) is home on leave from military service for two weeks, giving him ample time to meet and fall in love with Savannah (Seyfreid), an idealistic college student on spring break. Initial passion leads to drawn-out romance, as the pair continue their relationship through hand-written letters travelling between Savannah’s college campus and John’s military base, creating an intimate bond across the thousands of miles that separate them. Following 9/11, John is prompted to re-enlist, complicating the relationship and leading to the couple’s bond becoming increasingly fragile.

As well as presenting a timeless love story, the plot also reflects some of the ways that the USA’s recent military activity has affected American society. The plot begins before the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq have started and continues up until the present day, presenting some of the cultural and social shifts that impacted on the last decade. The likability of the two protagonists is one of the film’s primary strengths. As always, rising star Amada Seyfried is extremely watchable, and Channing Tatum builds on his endearing persona as the tough but vulnerable brawny hero. It is all too easy to dismiss Dear John as chick flick nonsense, but it succeeds in what it sets out to achieve and is thoroughly effective as a crowd-pleaser, a tearjerker and a good old-fashioned romance.

Shoshana Eilon