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The Vow (Movie Review)

Inspired by a true events The Vow has the perfect release date just in time for Valentine’s Day. So all you romantics at heart will enjoy this sappy, tug on your heart strings, with a pinch of humor, love story that you may even shed a tear or two for. And if that is not enough for you, you get to see Channing Tatum’s bare butt! Bonus! Directed by Michael Sucsy (Grey Gardens). Screenwriters Abby Kohn and Marc Silverman (Valentine’s Day, Never Been Kissed).  

Soul mates Paige (Rachel McAdams – The Notebook) and Leo (Channing Tatum – Dear John) are leaving the Music Box Theater in Chicago on a beautiful snowy night. While stopped in their car they are struck from behind by a truck. Paige having taken off her seat belt a few seconds earlier is sent flying through the windshield…..shown in extreme slow motion.

Flash back four years to the beginning of their relationship. It’s love at first sight. It’s a very sweet and loving courtship. He is so in love with her and very thoughtful; suffering from a cold he surprises her with a box full of “feel better” gifts while she’s working, through the window you see Leo standing in the rain watching her open it. You can feel how in love they are and what a perfect relationship they share.  After a whirl wind romance they get married at the Art Institute of Chicago surrounded by all of their friends.

Now back in the present, Paige wakes from a drug induced coma not remembering her husband Leo, their life together, or anything that has happened in the last five years. Paige remembers her life before Leo, she thinks she is still in law school, still living in her parent’s home, and still engaged to Jeremy (Scott Speedman) her ex fiancé. Devastated Leo tries to help Paige remember their life together. After not communicating with her family for the last five years, her mother (Jessica Lange) and father (Sam Neill) come to the hospital and want to bring Paige back to their home, back to her life before, and only having these memories she is more comfortable with them than her own husband.

Even despite all his efforts Leo can not help Paige to remember their life together or that her parents do not want them to remain married, or even that her ex fiancé is a jerk and wants her back, Leo vows to make her fall in love with him again!

Paige discovers a dark family secret that everyone kept from her. Her friends and family act like those five years never happened. They picked life back up from the day she left them. Her creepy fiancé also wants to continue their relationship as if the five years had not gone by. I wanted to say hey can some one tell this girl what has happened these last five years, not just bits and pieces. Does this girl not have real friends?  Can no one help her besides Leo to remember her life?

McAdams gave a great performance, actually playing the part of two characters. I really liked the pre head trauma Paige, she is a fun, free spirited artist, and a loving person, but once she becomes the person she used to be, the person she was before Leo. I found myself not liking her so much. Tatum also gave a good performance; you see a softer, loving side of him. Tatum made me feel what he was going through; he had me rooting for him to win her back. You can truly feel his love for Paige.  McAdams and Tatum’s onscreen chemistry was palpable.

At first I didn’t like the ending of this movie, but the more I thought about it I understood it better. It doesn’t give you the “And they lived happily ever after” ending, it gives you the hope that they may live happily ever after.

I don’t expect to see this movie to win any major awards (like a leg lamp), but for a sweet love story, it will be your ticket to a romantic holiday.

Happy Valentines Day Everyone!