The Best of Me

One of the more heart-wrenching Nicholas Sparks movies, and that's saying something! This movie satisfies all you could want in a fated romance story, and makes you think about the larger themes of danger and self-sacrifice. Fantastic acting by the two leading actors, and while the two younger versions of them didn't at all look like them or feel like them as much as I would've wanted, the back story was told beautifully, and you really felt what the characters were going through. I think I cried at least three times.

Glad to see the guy from Major Dad back on the tv screen. This movie had ups and downs but it was a tear jerker.

Good movie

Great movie

Perfect chick flick.

The Best of Me(Tears of Joy)Michelle Monahan, James Marsden,Luke Bracey, Liana LiberatoDirector Michael HoffmanProduced by Nicholas SparksThis is another love story from the south, written by Nicolas Sparks. I have read most of his books and watched all of his movies. To me they are well told, heartfelt tales of passion and sometimes tragedy. They have you gazing at the sun through the trees, looking at the coastline, going for walks through the woods, canoeing the creeks. They have you caught up in a love story. They do have qualities in common Sparks seemingly writing from his own experience. Writing from your own experience usually adds depth to a story. He minimizes endless fighting, constant shooting, and urban crime waves and drug wars. Even profanity and nudity are at a low key.This story is about a young man Dawson Cole and his love for the very beautiful and wealthy Amanda Collier. Not only is she stunning, but she has heart, and doesn't care about Dawson's background. Set in Oriental North Carolina, Amanda is from a well to do family and Dawson is kin to the Coles: the most notorious family in town. Dawson's father takes every opportunity to assault his son with punches, slaps, and pushes until Dawson moves out on the Coles, taking up with a rough but kindly veteran mechanic and widower named Tuck. Though the young couple are in love, Dawson's war with the Coles continues and turns to real trouble and the couple are torn apart. Twenty one years later the two run smack into each other at the last will and testament of Tuck. The other section of the film takes off when Dawson and Amanda get back together only to find those old feelings are still alive.This is of course a troubled love story and Sparks does a skillful job. I'm reminded of his earlier work MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE where he took a few hits for mistakenly describing a shallow relationship between the main characters. Well Sparks has been busy working on his characters, and the effort he has made shows up in his work. That is true for me in his last few releases such as THE LAST SONG, THE LUCKY ONE, and SAFE HAVEN. Sparks movies have a lasting quality and if you're like me, you keep coming back to watch many times. In my view he seems to have a special skill at hooking your emotions.OK, the two Amanda's don't look alike, and the two Dawson's don't even look like cousins. This is made more troublesome because the film shifts back and forth showing us constantly how they don't look alike at all.But to me this is a minor point. For me this movie has two very powerful messages. When you love someone, you never forget them, even if things go badly, and in some place in the back of your mind you may love them still, 21 years hence and though you're married to someone else. Another important point was brought home to me well by young Dawson who is a strong presence in the story. Troubled by the abusive Cole clan he showed a good heart can rise up from the wasteland and walk strong.True to a Sparks story the photography is first rate and the piano solos and singing are really enjoyable and seem to blend in perfectly with the mood.Definitely one to watch, as many times as you want!Keep them coming, Nick!

Everything. My kind of movie.

How precious and strong young love is.