Sunday 12 February 2012

The Vow (2012)

Running Time: 104 mins
Directed By: Michael Sucsy
Starring: Channing Tatum, Rachel McAdams, Sam Neill, Jessica Lange
Screenplay: Abby Kohn, Marc Silverstein, Michael Sucsy, Jason Katims
UK Release Date: 10th February  - UK

Quick Plot: After a tragic car accident, Paige wakes up to find the past five years of her life vanished from her memory meaning any memory of her husband, Leo, gone. Keeping to his promising in his wedding vow, Leo sets out to make his wife fall back in love with him.

Review: It’s very easy to slate The Vow; the near Valentine Day’s release date, Taylor Swift soundtrack on the trailer and The Notebook girl and Dear John boy in what looks like the lovechild of both films. Yet, there’s something there that gives it a little heart.

Creating a film about memory loss is not something new for Hollywood and there are many romantic films on the subject that rank much higher than The Vow, but this time round there’s the based on true events tag. Knowing the plots origins has you constantly thinking what would you do if this happened to you, or someone you loved? To one day be in love, happy and everything in life seemed grand, to wake up the next day not knowing where you have been for the past five years. That’s Paige’s (Rachel McAdams) problem in The Vow.

Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum are the glue to the films likeability and without them on board, The Vow would be completely flawed. Sure Tatum has a cardboard stiffness to his acting, but McAdams, doing what she does best, charms her way through in delicacy and together they make for a very pretty couple. Tatum’s Leo is a likeable character and unconsciously you side with him and want Paige to fall back in love with him. That joint with another passionate performance by Rachel McAdams, the pair come out on top as the film’s best element.

The Vow's weakest part is the storyline which at times feel ridiculous. There are times which obviously didn’t occur in the real life story, like characters using Paige’s tragedy against her to turn her against Leo and Paige not asking about the past five years of her life to the one person who says he was there for it. Luckily, they can be overlooked.

For a based on true events film, The Vow does not follow the path of a film that is expected and many romantic comedy fans will be displeased with the ending, but for the more realistic love story people, The Vow ends on a sweeter note.

Pun not intended, The Vow, on the most part, is forgettable as there are many films that get amnesia right however The Vow is worth time for McAdams and Tatum.
3/5



The Vow trailer
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