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EDITOR'S PICK
'The
Best Of Me' an ideal date film (IANS Movie Review)
Rating:
***
Do you believe in the stars, romance and second chances in life? If you do, then
this film is for you.
The story captures the enduring power of true love and the wrenching choices one
faces when confronted with second chances.
Based on the novel of the same name by Nicolas Spark, 'The Best Of Me' is the
elusive love story of star-crossed lovers, Dawson Cole and Amanda Collier.
Set in New Orleans, the film begins in a dramatic manner capturing the routine
on an oil-rig in the high seas, where Dawson (James Marsden) is reading Stephen
Hawking's book 'The Grand Design'. He looks up at the sky to see the stars and
he gets nostalgic.
On a parallel track, we witness Amanda (Michelle Monaghan) as the dutiful Mrs.
Reynolds telling her son that destiny is written in the stars.
This is followed by a mishap on the oil-rig. Dawson survives a 100 feet fall in
the cold waters of the high sea after seeing an illusion.
And soon after the death of a close friend and mentor of Dawson, Tuck (Gerald
McRaney) an elderly widower, the duo reunite after 21 years of being apart.
Narrated in a non-linear manner, we learn that Dawson is hardworking, practical
and as a matter-of-fact, sincere. He is the unconventional, youngest son in a
family of thugs governed by an abusive father. On the other hand, Amanda is the
romantic who believes in the stars and is the only daughter of her wealthy
parents.
Soon, the two high school sweethearts find themselves at the cross-roads of
romance, when they realise that their backgrounds and circumstances are not
conducive to a healthy future.
While the story unfolds in two time frames, we are hooked by the perfect casting
and right doses of melodrama replete with elements of love and loss.
Marsden and Monaghan play the older version, while Luke Bracey and Liana
Liberato play their younger versions. Their on-screen chemistry reflects in
their performances and they are well supported by the rest of the cast.
Though predictable in its approach, the scenes make your heart flutter, smile
and weep with the highs and lows of the tale.
With his soft wide-angled lenses, cinematographer Oliver Stapleton captures
nature and the lovers in the right spirit. The golden-hued tones on the gleaming
surface of the pond, the sun-lit halo on Amanda's hair and the lovers' embrace
on the cottage verandah offer picture perfect romantic frames.
Also, Patrizia von Brandenstein's production design along with the flashy cars
coupled with costume designer Ruth E.Carter's splendid outfits and the exotic
locales adds to the viewing experience.
In totality, Hoffman and his team capture the flamboyance of the 1990s along
with the lilting background score in style, making it an ideal film for a
romantic date.
For others, it would be a mushy entertainer nevertheless.