Nights in Rodanthe

Length: 1hr 37mins
Starring: Diane Lane and Richard Gere
Book: Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks

Review: This is a beautiful love story about 2 people who find each other, which in turn helps them find themselves. If you love Nicholas Spark books turned into films than this one does not disappoint. This is one of his books that I haven't yet read which is sometimes a good thing. It is a heartfelt story and by that I mean, get out the kleenex because you'll need them. If you have experienced any kind of grief than you might need two packets.

Richard Gere and Diane Lane are brilliant, they are a middle aged couple who look like a middle aged couple, they have real lines on their faces from a life really lived. One of the pleasures of having both these actors play the leads was in fact that they weren't botoxed up to the hairline, they actually had wrinkles in their forehead when they expressed themselves (something you rarely see anymore). He didn't look to old for her and she looked like a beautiful and natural woman.

The reason this film got 4 stars and not 5 was because enough time wasn't given to the love story aspect of the film. I didn't have enough time to really believe that these two people were completely in love. The movie should have been at least 20 minutes longer. I realise that being a reader I always want more from a movie but I went with both my daughters and they also made the same comment afterwards. The only measurement that you had of their love was the depth of Adriane's grief afterwards. I wanted that ahhh feeling to come before the pain and suffering and it just didn't get there.

Recommendation: Go see this movie if you enjoy a 'real' story with 'real' emotions. Don't see this movie if you have recently lost someone and are still going through the earlier stages of grief. I lost my Dad more than a year ago and I found it quite difficult at times.