The Lucky One

IMDB
First time viewed: Yes
Current Release: Yes
Watched With: Myself

Scott Hicks made a big break out with Shine. I presumed he hadn't done much after his follow up but was surprised to find I've actually seen 3 of the romance films he's made since. Add this latest Nicholas Sparks adaptationto the list. If you've seen one you've seen them all.

They have become predictable to a degree that when I sat down to watch this and the film opens with a helicopter pull back shot of a boat on a river at sunset I thought, oh this should be the end shot that the credit roll goes over, which sure enough it was. But who the hell opens a film with a pull BACK shot anyway? Must have been a last minute bookend decision. 

As much as you can blame the blatant romance formula at work here it really doesn't help that it's one of those films where the trailer shows you all the beats and has been playing for the past 3 months in front of every single film to the degree where I can recite it.

It's actually very canny and no-one can argue that it doesn't hit its target audience, who want nothing more than some some safe ad predictable trash to enjoy on a night out with the girls or drag a boyfriend to and if he puts up with the sap he's proven sensitive enough to get laid that night. I had both parties sitting either side of me. I don't think the guy got so lucky that night though, the film was too much for him and he made this known much to the dismay of his partner.

For the girls though this film panders like I've never seen before. A hot masculine war hero, who's also incredibly sensitive, intelligent and struggling with an inner turmoil, just begging to be loved. Add to that he spends half the film cuddling cute little puppies and playing with an adorable kid. Then we have the girl of his affections, who he's uncontrollably drawn to. She's not a big movie star so none of the girls feel threatened and can easily put themselves in her shoes.

They get no less than 5 make out sessions over the course of the film ranging from a small kiss to the most classily lit softcore porn available from PG-13 rated film. They really push the limits here. 

While the 3rd act complication (in this case it's a photo) is a complete dud here and doesn't really work the way it's supposed to, they are given a common enemy to overcome. Unfortunately he's also completely 2 diminutional and is removed from the story in one of the most heinous uses of deus ex machina I've seen in quite a while. 

So besides the 30 minutes of required story beats, you have an hour of hot steamy wish fulfilment that is too classy to actually be called porn because it takes place in a fantasy world where it is perpetually magic hour. You can't argue that the film it gloriously lit, warm and inviting.

It's hard to be upset by a film that knows exactly what it is doing and is shameless in accomplishing it. You know if you want to watch this film or not. Your opinions are made already and seeing the film will only confirm your suspicions whichever way they may go. Transparent filmmaking at its finest.