The Lucky One

The Lucky One (2012)
Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, and Blythe Danner
Based on the novel by: Nicholas Sparks
Directed by: Scott Hicks
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Grade: A+

I loved the book that this movie was based on. And this movie was another great adaptation of a novel. U.S. Marine Sergeant Logan Thibault (Efron) returns from his third tour of duty in Iraq, with the one thing he credits with keeping him alive - a photograph he found of a woman he doesn't even know. Discovering her name is Beth (Schilling) and where she lives, he shows up at her door, and ends up taking a job offered by her mother (Danner) at her family-run kennel. Despite her initial mistrust and the complications in her life, a romance develops between them, giving Logan hope that Beth could be much more than his good luck charm. This was Efron's best performance in a movie yet and Schilling was extremely believable as a lonely single mother. Now, I just have to wait a year for Sparks' next novel, Safe Haven, to be turned into a movie (with Josh Duhamel...yay!)

The Last Song

The Last Song (2010)
Starring: Miley Cyrus, Greg Kinnear, and Liam Hemsworth
Directed by: Julie Anne Robinson
Based on the novel by: Nicholas Sparks
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Grade: B

Okay, first of all, this is my favorite book...period. And if you've ever seen my other blog, you'll know I love books. It's an amazing book. The movie...not so much. The first part that was ruined was casting Miley Cyrus...even if this movie was written for her, she's just a terrible actress. I mean, look at the poster! She's even terrible at pouting, which used to be the ONE thing she was good at...okay, I'm done ranting about Miley...for now. The second part they ruined was the costumes. The clothes she wears aren't dark enough for the character, especially towards the end...and don't even get me started on the dress she wears to Will's sister's wedding...it's awful. So, the movie is about Ronnie, who is very rebellious and is sent, along with her brother, to spend the summer with her father in a small town on the beach. Ever since her parents divorced, Ronnie has been angry with her father, even going so far as to stop playing piano, because he taught her how to do it. Now, they are forced to live together, which doesn't go well at first, but slowly becomes better with the help of her new love interest, Will. But just as things look like they might be okay between Ronnie and her father, she learns something that changes everything. And just when she needs Will the most, Ronnie finds out that he isn't exactly what he appears to be either.