Dear John

When I bought my ticket for Dear John I was expecting a schmaltzy romance film especially coming out so close to Valentine’s Day. But what I got instead was a touching relationship story, most notably between fathers and sons. Channing Tatum (John) plays a young soldier on leave from the Army. When Amanda Seyfried (Savannah) and her friends arrive at the pier, one of the boys accidently knocks her purse into the water and John dives in to rescue it. When he emerges from the ocean dripping wet, Savannah thanks him and invites him to a barbeque at her house. This becomes the beginning of a two week romance.

In a lesser film, you would have huge obstacles, demonstrative scenes, disapproving parents, and maybe even a pregnancy. But this film takes its time allowing the relationship to grow, melding two people that fit so nicely together. Until she graduates from school and he finishes his hitch overseas, they agree to write letters, telling each other everything that happens and to maintain their bond until they can see each other again. But then 9/11 happens, obligations pull, choices are made and Dear John, receives his letter.

There are no big villains in this film, except maybe the war, circumstances, or life itself. John’s father, beautifully portrayed by Richard Jenkins is a quiet non-communicative man. Savannah believes that he may be mildly autistic. Her neighbor Tim has an autistic son named Alan who Savannah adores. Because of him, she is thinking about going into special education. Through Savannah, John learns to see his father with new eyes and because of her he learns a lot about communication, what is said and what is not. This is a soulful story, richly told by director Lasse Hallstrom. It is not a lightweight romance, it has much more substance. What a difference experience than what I was expecting.

Rating: First Run Sometime love means showing up