Seen on: September 26, 2008

The players: Director: George C. Wolfe, Writers: John Romano, Ann Peacock, Cast: Richard Gere, Diane Lane, Christopher Meloni, Viola Davis, Mae Whitman

Facts of interest: Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, author of "The Notebook."

The plot: Two unhappy adults fall in love at a small beachside inn during a magical but stormy weekend.

Our thoughts: I walked into George C. Wolfe’s “Nights in Rodanthe” expecting a sophisticated romance led by two film stars I usually enjoy watching on the big screen, but what I ended up getting in return for the price of admission was nothing but a soapy wannabe love tragedy that misses its mark and fails to stir any deep emotions.

Based on the novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, the film centers on two single parents who fall in love during a weekend stay at a romantic beachside inn. Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane) has agreed to run the place for a few days while her best friend is away traveling, using it as an opportunity to digest the recent separation from her husband.

Meanwhile, the only expected guest for the weekend is Paul Flanner (Richard Gere), a recently divorced doctor who’s fled the city to take care of some unfinished business. While it takes some time for the two to connect, Adrienne and Paul soon dive into a passionate love affair that will give them the comfort they are seeking and change their lives forever.

As cute as it sounds, the newfound romance between these two lonely characters is not as magical as expected. Watching Adrienne and Paul slowly getting to know each other during the first 30 or 40 minutes is still pretty refreshing, but it’s the second part of the film that quickly wrecks the plot without finding a way to recuperate.

Instead of finishing strong by letting them spread some love (or hate) in each other’s arms, the movie makes its main characters spend the second part of their romance writing each other a bunch of letters. While I certainly don’t have anything against people writing and reading letters to each other, watching them do it over and over again on the screen is not necessarily an intriguing experience.

This flaw is also tied to one of the main problems I have with the film: its obvious lack of passion. Unlike the characters in the far superior “The Notebook,” Adrienne and Paul barely see their love challenged. Strong love stories require at least a few challenges to create that particular dramatic, emotional effect, but the relationship between the two leads in this film is too bland to leave a mark.

Diehard Sparks fans may find enough heart and drama in “Nights in Rodanthe” to leave the theater wiping away a couple of tears, but those looking for a little bit more than mild sex during a hurricane or endless letter exchanges should think twice before spending their money.

Despite all these negative aspects, I admit Richard Gere and Diane Lane share an undeniable onscreen chemistry, which helps the plot keep a steady pace but definitely could have been even stronger had they worked with a better script. Still, the cast remains one of the film’s stronger points, saving “Nights” from slipping into complete disaster.

Freaky quote: “You have me back my father. You saved him." – James Franco

The final word: It may not be the best romance of the year, but the truth is “Nights in Rodanthe” could have been a lot worse. That said, maybe I just made the mistake of expecting a film as solid as “The Notebook.” I really wanted to enjoy the film, but I guess it was not meant to be. Better luck next time.

Article by Franck Tabouring