Ever since 2004’s The Notebook, best-selling romantic novelist Nicholas Sparks has been known for his soft words and deep, rich emotions. Creating some of the most iconic love stories of the past twenty years, Sparks has catered to a generation, offering up magical romances that appear possible in any setting. Unfortunately for fans, Sparks words are unique, often times becoming lost in translation as they travel from page to screen. The latest example: The Choice.
Set in the small town of Wilmington, North Carolina, The Choice wastes no time fulfilling typical genre clichés as we focus in on Travis, a sophisticated, well-spoken young man who appears to have women swooning at his feet. Bearing the gift of swagger and noticeably deep pockets, he rides around on his boat entertaining close friends before a cook out. It is then that our eye catches Gabby. Nose deep in her books, it becomes quite apparent that the two aren’t necessarily fond of one another, a distinction that is made clear moments later when Travis’ stereo generates a strong beat that begs for Gabby’s attention.
It is at this moment that you place the obvious final pieces of the simplified jigsaw puzzle together, fully knowing that our two leading characters, forced to overcome their differences and see past first impressions, will soon be dancing along the coast in an unusually strong love that will make us all question our own relationship (or lack thereof). And though there are a few unknown skips, jumps and sidesteps on their way to forever, the end destination is ensured all the same.
Fortunately for some, knowing the ending doesn’t ruin the journey. Sadly, those who believe that are few and far between.
Both Benjamin Walker and Teresa Palmer do the best they can with the content they are given; however, they are unable to savor the romance. Their dialogue appears forced, their chemistry inconsistent as you continually question whether the pair is actually better off together. When Gabby opts to break off her engagement and immediately transition to her new found love, the film takes a rather steep nosedive into the abyss of ridiculousness. Granted her decisions are often made in haste, occasionally in a state of high emotion and anger, and you can’t help but ponder her mental process as she doesn’t appear to fully understand exactly what she wants in life. And though the film repeatedly says that “life is held together by choices,” they often forget about the careful thought that must go into life’s big questions.
The film’s pacing, for what it is worth, is decent, and the cinematography provides one of the few bright spots as director Ross Katz works hard to capture the serene, placid landscapes that comprise Wilmington. By doing so he crafts an added layer of complexity, utilizing the small town persona, giving viewers a slice of east coast paradise and forcing his love triangle to coexist within small borders. It is through these tight parameters that we keep Ryan (Tom Welling) present in the story. His work, though minimal, is a breath of fresh air, bearing a unique sense of maturity to the otherwise green story.
As the film wages on, and a quick montage showcases a marriage and a pair of kids, our main couple appears to have life figured out. But then the foreseen third-act tragedy strikes, sending everything into a haze as they look to overcome the odds and join hands together on the beach once again. But even through the hardship, The Choice is unable to bear much of a backbone, relying heavily on the fluttering heartbeats of its viewers to sniffle its way through a generic plot that offers up occasional hope. The problem though is that the film simply refuses to deliver on any of it.
