Earlier this week, I went with a friend to see the movie Safe Haven. Though I did’t want to go, I couldn’t let her cover a screening of a Nicholas Sparks movie alone and so I tagged along for the potentially painful ride. The target demographic of this film is clearly women and so who better than to review the film than my female screening companion, Stephanie Schaefer. Below you’ll find her take on this year’s Valentine’s day flick.
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This Valentine’s Day hopeless romantics nation wide will flock to Safe Haven, the latest Nicholas Sparks film adaption, directed by Lasse Hallström (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen). The melodrama is Sparks’ first attempt at mixing suspense with romance. The story follows a young wife named Katie (Julianne Hough) on her journey to escape from a grim past involving an abusive, alcoholic husband (David Lyons). Fleeing Boston on a Coach bus, Katie lands in a quiet North Carolina seaport town to start over with a “blank canvas.” After securing a job as a waitress, she meets Alex (Josh Duhamel), a widowed store-owner and father of two young children. Reluctant to open up at first, Katie is encouraged by Jo (Cobie Smulders), her independent single neighbor, to pursue the romance.
Hough, in her first dramatic role, is cute and fresh-faced, but lacks the rawness and acting experience needed for the drama to truly work. Duhamel, although vanilla, is charming on the surface and believable in his paternal role. However, it’s his onscreen daughter Lexi (Mimi Kirkland) who steals the show with her innocence and one-liners that effortlessly evoke laughter from the audience.
Although the flirtation between Katie and Alex provides humor and lightheartedness to the nonetheless darker themes, it seems to be just that- playfulness rather than full-fledged passion that we expect from Sparks. Perhaps the most tender “spark” comes from the completion of the family unit, as the maternal puzzle piece in Alex’s kin was missing until Katie arrived. A scene revealing unopened letters written by his now deceased wife during stages of terminal cancer is sure to touch anyone with a soul. Yet, we never get a clear mental picture of Alex’s wife or their past relationship, which makes it difficult to truly connect with his emotions.
That’s not to say there isn’t any lusty “romance” (if you consider kissing your significant other behind a tree so your friend doesn’t see you, romantic). Female fans will be happy to see Duhamel in shirtless scenes, which make you wonder how Fergie of the Black Eyed Peas (Duhamel’s real life wife) landed someone that good looking. But if you’re hoping for the genuine love Sparks illustrates in The Notebook, look elsewhere. The only resemblance to his 2004 love-story is his picturesque depiction of southern
charm as well as similar romantic scene involving a canoe ride and rain. However, by this point the cliché is worn and merely a lukewarm version of the unforgettable chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams.
Likewise, Smulders’ character, Katie’s nosy neighbor Jo, remains flat throughout the plot. Her interactions with Katie seem forced and awkward to the point that we question her purpose, that is until Sparks (spoiler alert) waits to reveal her true meaning during the very last seconds of the film—a frustrating plot twist executed so abruptly it’s almost (unintentionally) humorous. End spoiler.
While the suspense toward the film’s end may provide the only haven for males dragged to the film by their girlfriends, you’ll wonder if you’re actually watching a Lifetime made-for-TV melodrama rather than a blockbuster. Through flashes of embellished violent scenes, Sparks traps his female characters into the paradigm of a victim, from either an abusive husband or terminal illness. (Spoiler Alert) We see this trite when Katie can only prevent her husband from acting like a lunatic if she acts vulnerable, apologetic, and pretends she needs him—and of course it’s the handsome Alex who saves the day. End spoiler
Sparks’ household name mixed with the combination of an attractive cast and Valentine’s Day release will still have herds of females (usually me included) rushing to the theater on opening weekend. Although you can surprisingly skip the box of tissues, you may want to bring a box of chocolates since the film likely won’t satisfy your romantic craving.
Rating: A slow-moving romance that gives hope for second chances, but lacks spark (no pun intended). (6/10)
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