This is one of those movies where I'm glad I didn't read the critic reviews before attending a showing of Safe Haven. Rotten Tomatoes has Safe Haven with a 12% fresh tomato rating. Not good at all. And Roger Ebert is all but scathing in his review, but then he didn't like Thor either, and I saw that movie 3 times opening week. To date I've seen Safe Haven twice.
My Mom gave the movie 4.75 stars out of 5, and she's super critical, more so then I, and my sister-in-law Krista gave the movie 5 stars out of 5, and then bought a copy of the book within an hour of seeing the movie. Plus the audience was quite engaged during both showings I attended, gasping and smiling in all the right places.
I personally loved this movie, and enjoyed it just as much the second time as I did the first.
Safe Haven is about Katie, a girl on the run who finds herself in a quaint, seaside town of North Carolina. It is in this town that she finds her "safe haven," and meets those who teach her to love and trust again. Why is she running? What is she running from? And will she stay safe? That would give away a crucial part of the story, as this movie is part sweet romance and part thriller.
Julianne Hough plays Katie well, though there were moments when she felt disconnected. Josh Duhamel, who plays Alex, the love interest, reminded me of his performance in Ramona and Beezus (awesome movie BTW), and the two have a sweet chemistry together. The girl who plays Alex's daughter Lexie, Mimi Kirkland, was really natural in her acting, which is always a delight to see in a young actress.
At this point Nicholas Sparks, the author of the book, is starting to come off formulaic. I was nervous that this movie would mirror "The Lucky One" too closely, but I enjoyed Safe Haven so much more. The ending of "The Lucky One" was a bit annoying and too convenient. I've yet to see The Notebook, which may seem like a travesty to some purist.
Yes, this movie is a sappy love story, and guys out there will find aspects of the plot a bit corny, but I like a little corny in my life now and then. And the scenery used to show off North Carolina was breathtaking. If I ever need to find a Safe Haven, I want to go there.
MPAA: Rated PG-13 for thematic material involving threatening behavior, and for violence and sexuality. The sex scene is short, but doesn't leave much to the imagination.
Nice review Sarah. If you like this type of stuff, then you're going to love this movie. But for me, I don't and I didn't care much for it.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I happily fit in the target audience, which means I did quite enjoy it. It was appropriately released on Valentines Day. Thanks for your comment :0)
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