Dear John
(2010/Sony DVD)
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Film: C+
One of
Lasse Hallstrom’s better films of late, Dear
John (2010) is a surprisingly reserved romantic drama that holds the
potentially poor side of its melodrama in check surprisingly well. Also helping are the casting of Channing
Tatum (proving he really can act here not stuck with Action or Musical
conventions) and Amanda Seyfried (Mamma
Mia!) continues her rise as one of the top new actresses in the
business. The camera likes them both,
they have chemistry together and they have a decent script.
Based on
a book by The Notebook author Nicholas
Sparks (adapted by Jamie Linden), the film involves the chance beach meeting of
Savannah (Seyfried) and John (Tatum) when she drops her purse hanging on a pier
with her friends. John, a military
soldier, thinks nothing of jumping in the water and retrieving it. This bothers her friend Tim (Henry Thomas) a
bit, but the two just keep talking.
Of
course, this leads to more talking and they eventually fall for each
other. She has an
good family and good group of friends, while he has his father (Richard
Jenkins) who have issues of his own, but is a good man. Then John has to go back into service, so the
two have to stay in touch via written letters.
Then 9/11 happens. Can they hold
their relationship together? Will they
stay connected half a world away?
Those
questions may be selling this a bit short and though we have seen some of this
type of story before, I was pleased with how smartly and maturely this material
was handled, but Hallstrom can direct and at his best, produces authentic
results. It works better than Nick
Cassavetes’ The Notebook (reviewed
elsewhere on this site) because it seems less contrived. Though not a perfect film, Dear John is ambitious and has enough
interesting moments to be better than most variants of its kind of drama.
The anamorphically
enhanced 2.35 x 1 image is a little soft at times, but this is a good-looking
film and we bet the Blu-ray would look better.
The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix is of a dialogue-based recording and music,
along with some action, usually inhabit the surrounds. At least this is all well recorded, but the
songs are a bit much in total. Extras
include Deleted Scenes, an Alternate Ending, Outtakes, Conversation with
Channing, Amanda & Lasse and four making of featurettes.
- Nicholas Sheffo
