Months I had been waiting. Actually I think it had been a year, well I can’t really remember. What am I talking about then? Well ever since I saw a trailer for the movie a walk to remember I’d wanted to see it. I’d almost purchased it on DVD but decided to wait a few more weeks to see it on the big screen. Anyway my mate (who would like to remain anonymous) we’ll call her Dorothy, had just seen it the first day it came out and she thoroughly enjoyed it and recommended I see it and she also happened to mention that…well the complete ending, I couldn’t believe she ruined it for me in a matter of seconds, what is wrong with you Dorothy?! Anyway the novelty wore off so I decided to wait a while before seeing it in the cinema, but last night I finally went to see it and all I can say is “aaaww”.
From the trailer it looks like a soppy, romance movie but that’s not all it is. It deals with serious issues teenagers have to deal with in life. I liked everything about it. I mean from the outside the movie looks a bit dull and a definite chick flick. I will admit it is more of a chick flick than anything else but it’s still a lovely film. All I can say it’s got a good story and is a romance film but is still highly enjoyable.
The movie starts out with a popular gang of friends hanging around by a lake. There waiting for someone who needs to initiate his membership into their gang by jumping off a high ladder into the lake. One the popular member’s is Landon Carter who agrees to jump into the lake with the new member wanabe. Anyway as they are both about to jump Landon stops and the other guy jumps only to get seriously injured. At first he looks like he’s already dead but Landon jumps in and grabs him, they then realise the police is coming and everyone heads off, Landon leaves the guy there who is having difficulty breathing and moving and jumps into his car, but he hasn’t made it in time and is stopped by the police. Luckily the other guy will be ok but Landon is made to do community service as he was the only one who was caught.
Landon is made to clean the cafeteria after school every day, tutor less fortunate children on the weekends and help out in the school play. Landon’s friends Belinda, Dean, Eric and Tracey can’t help but make fun of him. Belinda though dated Landon in the past and is desperate to re-ignite what they had but Landon doesn’t feel the same way and this hurts Belinda but it doesn’t stop her from trying. Anyway Landon and his friends are hanging out and can’t help but make fun of Jamie Sullivan. The girl who dresses like an 80 year old woman and has no sense of style whatsoever. She’s known for wearing the same sweater every day
for the past so many years and they make fun of her for that. Jamie also does community service because she simply wants to and meets Landon there but he is very reluctant to talk to her because of her unpopularity. They talk on the school bus and Jamie tries to be polite but Landon just insults her and she sits somewhere else.
Anyway Landon is cast as the lead part in the school play opposite Jamie. Landon is waiting for a lift home but his friend hasn’t turned up so he asks Jamie for a lift and she agrees. On the way there she tells him about her “to do list”. Things she wants to achieve in her life such as make a medical discovery, get a tattoo, to be in two places at once etc. Landon asks what’s number one but she says she could tell him, but she’d have to kill him. A few days later Landon has trouble with is lines so asks Jamie for help and she agrees on one condition that he doesn’t fall in love with her. Landon laughs it off and replies “That won’t be a problem”. Anyway the two become distant friends but he still doesn’t want to be seen in public with her. Jamie politely says hi, and that she’ll see him at her house after school and he replies “In your dreams”.
Landon goes to her house to apologise but she won’t have any of it and shuts the door in his face. They don’t speak much until it’s time to perform the play. As the play goes Jamie walks out and looks beautiful. Landon is gob smacked at how beautiful she looks. He begins to stutter and forgets his lines but remembers just in time for Jamie’s cue to sing her song. He watches in disbelief and continues to watch her sing. For the first time it becomes apparent Landon is attracted to Jamie. He then kisses her right at the end of her song and Jamie looks shocked. Belinda is sat in the audience believing that Landon really likes this girl and the jealousy kicks in.
The next day Landon looks for Jamie to announce he actually misses spending time with her. She tells him everything he is saying is bull but he really means it, she storms out but he runs after her to say he actually wants to be with her but she’s afraid because she wants to be with him to. She just walks to her car and then drives off. Later that night he drops off a gift for her and then leaves. It’s a brand new pink sweater which she happens to love. The two become close but Jamie’s dad doesn’t allow her to date any guys due to her faith, but will that stop them? Also Belinda is desperate to get Landon back but will that get in the way of their blossoming relationship?
The movie is definitely one for the romance movie lovers. It’s so sweet and sentimental. I personally thought it had a great story but I know some people would disagree with me. I did have some clichés in there somewhere but not as much as other teen movies. I think some things were taken more seriously. I liked the fact that Mandy Moore didn’t get a permanent makeover in the movie and looked the same throughout. This really helped the film seem real.
Some of the more serious issues in the movies were things like peer pressure and bullying but were all dealt with well. Some of the issues weren’t really given the Hollywood makeover which was pretty good and made the movie much more realistic. That’s what I appreciated about this movie, the amount of realism it had. Most teen movies are about how popular one girl is and how popular her boyfriend and so on. But this movie looked much deeper than that, something I really appreciated about it.
One thing that shocked me was that Jamie is a very religious person. This is something you rarely see in Hollywood movies, especially teen movies. But I liked that it was included in this movie. A lot of critics have been saying this is extremely stupid but come on have you ever seen a teen movie with a teenager actually believing in god? I thought it added a much nicer touch to the movie as well as separating it from all those cliché ridden movies.
A lot of people would think this movie has a lot of clichés in it and to some extent it does but there other aspects of this movie that aren’t really involved in other teen movies. This movie shouldn’t really be classed as a teen movie though as it isn’t really your average teen movie. It’s not really a comedy which most teen movies are. This is more a drama based film. It can be funny in odd moments but the story is more real than anything else.
The script is quite real and even though Landon hangs out with a bad gang to begin with, there is still no bad language, and it’s all kept clean which is quite appropriate but unrealistic in another sense, as teenagers who are classed as “bad” would most probably need there mouths washing out with soap every ten minutes. I liked the differences in the way some of the characters spoke and this made you relate to a certain character more.
When I saw this movie I did expect Mandy Moore to break into song as she was a professional singer before breaking into the acting business and yes as I expected it was done. This might seem a bit tacky and was rather unnecessary but still suited her character and wasn’t really like she got a sexy makeover to perform a song like “I love rock ‘n’ roll” like a certain Britney. She performed once with a choir and again in the play and wasn’t like a music or anything, it all made sense so fitted into the movie perfectly. It wasn’t like a fun karaoke scene incorporated into the movie to plug her latest song or anything.
I never in my life thought I would big up Mandy Moore but I thought she was excellent in this movie! She puts the performance by a certain pop princess in the crappy movie “Crossroads” to shame. She accepted a role that not only was not glamorous in any way but pulled it off totally. She didn’t look gorgeous. She looked pretty in a “I’d like to make you over” kind of way but that is not definitely not a pop starlet look. She actually dyed her hair a reddish brown colour for this role when in reality she’s a blonde. Her hair was not styled and this made her look even more average. She looks ill more than anything else the way her makeup’s done and no she doesn’t look like a fresh faced teen like those found in Dawson’s creek. She gives a convincing performance as the bible doting loser. You have sympathy for her as she just lives her life minding her own business and doesn’t really mix in with the popular people. She also does community service, not because she was made to but because she wants to. Her character is someone you like, I loved her character, I thought she was just so sweet. I loved the fact that she didn’t need a makeover to show how truly beautiful she was. You could just tell she was a lovely person inside and out. Mandy also won the MTV movie award for best breakthrough artist beating that other pop princess.
Shane West is just so lovely in the movie. He plays Landon the popular bad boy turned good. His character saw how amazing Jamie really was without her needing to look conventionally beautiful. I think Shane was perfectly cast as he just fitted the role so well. I’ve seen him in some other movies and thought he is not a very good actor but this movie has changed my mind. He’s not amazing or anything but you can tell he’s got the potential to be. His acting has improved since some of his last films such as “Get over it” and “Whatever it takes” and you seem to want to take him much more seriously in this movie. Even though he isn’t drop gorgeous I couldn’t help but love him, he’s still cute though ;)
Overall I thought this movie was a pleasant surprise, I didn’t expect it to be this good, I really expected it to be a sappy love story but it’s much deeper than that. The performances were also shockingly good. I expected the performances to be average especially after learning a former pop princess was in the lead role, but Mandy Moore gives a great performance. I think this movie is more for girls than anything but I’m sure some guys would enjoy it if they actually tried to watch it properly. Well I doubt that will happen anyway! This movie is really touching, innocent and well meaning, it may not be perfect but everything is so innocently done you can’t help but like it. I recommend this movie to all the girlies; it’s got some slow bits but is a sweet movie worth watching. I left the theatre thinking “aaaww what a lovely movie!”.
CAST~~
Shane West - Landon Rollins Carter Mandy Moore – Jamie Sullivan Peter Coyote – Reverend Sullivan Daryl Hannah – Cynthia Carter Lauren German – Belinda Clayne Crawford – Dean Al Thompson – Eric Paz De La Huerta - Tracey
DIRECTOR~~
Adam Shankman
CERTIFICATE~~
PG
RUNTIME~~
101 min
SITES~~
OFFICIAL SITE - http://www2.warnerbros.com/walktoremember/
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
Production Year: 2000 - Drama - Director: Giuseppe Tornatore - Original Language: Italian - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Monica Bellucci, Giuseppe Sulfaro, Luciano Federico, Matilde Piana
brill op, i love this movie..a real tear jerker!...if u like this checkout the notebook, directed by the same director...great movie also, you'll love it. ;)
RainbowDiva2000 21.12.2004 18:04
Great detailed review on one of my most favourite films. With Love ~Amy~
StephyBabes 03.08.2004 21:12
I've heard a lot of good comments about this film but still have never got to see it! lol great op darlin xxx
Oct 14th, 2002
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