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| (Zac) “You should be kissed. Every day, every hour, every minute.” (Me) “I agree, but won’t that make my lips really chapped?” |
My daughter and I went to see the new Nicholas Sparks movie. I know some people (you know who you are) think that “Sparks” is synonymous with “chick flick” and refuse to darken the door of a theatre showing such romanticized drivel. You are the ones who think if there isn’t an explosion or car chase within two minutes of the opening scene, the story is being dragged down with mind-numbing dialogue.
Never fear! Lucky for you, The Lucky One starts with an explosion or two, machine gun fire and random blood-letting. And lucky for everyone else, it continues with dialogue, and a romantic, heartwarming story.
Mr. Zac Efron (I think he’s old enough to be called that now) makes a very convincing war weary marine, back after three tours of duty, set on finding and thanking the woman he deems responsible for being his lucky charm and keeping him alive.
I don’t believe I’m giving anything away by telling you that once he finds this woman, he doesn’t come clean right away about why he showed up in her little town and took the menial labor job at her boarding kennel, when he could be posing in ads for Calvin Klein underwear. But as we all know, there has to be a misunderstanding that looks like someone was being less than honest so that after the tears and anger subside, they know for sure that it’s really love and not just needy temporary lust. True love is what Sparks is all about.
Mr. Sparks definitely knows what women want. I’m as gullible as the next woman when it comes to romantic chick flicks. I like to pretend for a couple of restful hours in a dark theatre that there are men out there – real men – who can build a house with their bare hands, fix any moving part in any motorized vehicle with just a wrench and a pair of pliers, train dogs to jump through hoops, play the piano, and still find time to drive grandma to church, have heart to heart chats with a precocious boy child, and make out in the barn with his mother. All while looking like he should be modeling for Calvin Klein underwear. I know. I already said that. But it bears repeating.
Taylor Shilling did very well playing the lucky woman in Zac Efron’s sights. She gave a moving performance as a divorced woman still dealing with the recent death of her brother in Iraq. But really –out of all the women in the theatre I doubt even one of them can remember what her character’s name was. I think it started with a B…Barbara?
I’ve always liked Blythe Danner and was happy to see that they gave her a few lines in the movie even though she is past Hollywood’s cutoff age for women actors in prominent roles. Personally I felt her few moments of screen time not only lightened the sometimes emotionally heavy storyline, but were some of the best in the movie.
If you’re thinking about choosing a movie this weekend and don’t know what to see, The Lucky One is definitely the hottest ticket in town.
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I am glad to hear that Zac’s performance was blog worthy. I have been waiting for Hollywood to give him a chance to shine. He showed such promise in the High School Musical trilogy (a pre-chick flick for young girls). Hurray for growing up!
Can’t say I’ve ever watched a Zac Efron movie before this one, but this one won’t disappoint – even without singing. Thanks for stopping by, Sarah:)
I love a good chick flick movie. Loved the post, thanks for sharing, Barbara!
Hilarious. I had to do a double-take on the pic.