Romantic drama based on the true story of a man (Channing Tatum, Dear John) who works on re-winning the heart of his wife (Rachel McAdams, The Notebook) after she suffers severe memory loss.
Hospitalised after a car accident, Paige awakens from a coma with her memory wiped. Identifying her newlywed husband as no more than a stranger, Leo seeks a way to reignite their love.
This is Michael Sucsy’s big-screen directorial step-up from his TV feature debut Grey Gardens, adapted from the book of the same name about the experiences of Kim and Krickett Carpenter.
Had I not liked this romance flick, I would not hesitate to call The Vow “forgettable.” But I’m willing to sacrifice a terrible pun in order to admit when a film has charmed me somewhat. The memory love loss storyline drives some pretty interesting conflictions: not remembering your own husband, realising you ditched your own family, discovering you’re a vegetarian. It’s intriguing to watch the leads’ new awkward relationship unfold (or refold, as it were), though the film still shovels a typical amount of contrived schmaltz in your lap.
For the most part, the performances deliver. McAdams draws out an appropriate amount of frustration while keeping us sympathetic in her attempts to recollect. Sam Neill whips out his standard-but-effective condescending old man routine. Then there’s Channing Tatum. I want to like the guy, I really do. With each role, he wins me over a little more, this film included. However, despite his darnedest efforts, he still can’t fully escape his Sonny Bill-like expressionless presence. At least the ladies get a generous shot of his unfairly chiseled bare bottom. So there’s that.
The movie’s been given the Hollywood spit-shine, sometimes piercing the eyes with its gleam. Various plot turns do little to surprise either, making it easy to pick out some confrontations half an hour before they happen. But looking past all that, The Vow is an undeniably sweet movie that had me pleasantly surprised in where it ended up.
By Liam Maguren, Flicks.co.nz
Extract from Theaterofthecommonman.com I purchased my ticket to The Vow with only one certainly, I was about to watch a film that was in no way shape or form created for my demographic. It seems wrong for me to rip into The Vow. Shredding the films production values or cliche formula, I would likely be perceived as an ungrateful houseguest. Instead I thought I would try something new and attempt to put myself into the mind-set of its target audience and judge the picture on its merits. To that extent i enjoyed the film. I may have been a little harsh on Rachel McAdams in the past. Although not entirely convinced by her acting prowess, I will concede the chemistry she shared with Channing Tatum was strong. Channing in particular seemed to pull on both the heart and G-strings of our audience. The presentation of his naked rear end offered the gaggle of teenage girls an awkward giggle whilst raising the temperature of the cinema momentarily. It was also pleasing to see our own Sam Neill as Paige's surly unlikeable father, probably even more pleasing to the audience that his posterior remains fully clothed in his brief but memorable appearance.
It's unashamedly escapist, but a turn for the serious as The Vow nears the finish line only underscores its essential silliness.
It's pleasant enough as a date movie, but that's all.
Not everything in it works, but the lack of reliance on easy answers earns it enough credibility points for a passing grade.
Makes for a wonderful - if a bit teary - romance that is brilliantly acted.
Earnest hokum of this nature has become increasingly rare. And for a reason.
