Wonderful character development!

Truly Dreadful Film

Sadly Over-hyped

An Exercise In Nonsense

The Vow definitely tugs at your heartstrings, but it also tugs at your eye-rolling strings. There are a number of cliches and sappy moments that are sure to annoy some viewers. Nevertheless, Rachel McAdams does a great job, as usual, and Channing Tatum is surprisingly emotive. The movie kind of falls apart near the end, but The Vow is a harmless chick flick and the story it's based on is quite interesting.

Imagine a sad love story. The husband loses his wife of seventy-plus years to cancer or a wife becomes a widow after her husband is killed in war. These are stories that might have come to mind. And notice they have a very similar theme—losing a loved one. Most sad love stories carry this same theme, but what about a love story that has that same theme, but in a different way? What if, for example, the husband doesn't lose his wife physically, but instead loses her mentally and emotionally? This is the idea behind Michael Sucsy's movie "The Vow." When a couple from Chicago are in an accident that causes Paige (Rachel McAdams) to forget her life with Leo (Channing Tatum), we are caught in this emotional roller-coaster as Leo tries to get his wife to fall in love with him again. The amount of emotion this movie inflicts on its viewers is what makes it a "hopeless romantics" dream. Almost every scene causes some kind of emotion to be felt by the audience—whether it's anger, sadness, or even love. The actors take partial credit for making this movie so emotionally provoking. First, is the way actors react to each other. They really make the audience believe they are in love—or upset with each other. Whether it's Tatum's shy smile to something McAdams says, the way McAdams gazes into Tatum's eyes, or the hurt in Tatum's face when McAdams doesn't recognize him. Every interaction between the two actors seems real—which helps make the movie come to life. Secondly, is how the actors play their own roles to a tea. McAdams does a great job playing the "confused girl" role. From her facial expressions to the believable uncertainty in her voice to the way she stands—her arms crossed in an insecure and scared way. Tatum also does a wonderful job playing the loving and needy husband by, for example, how he speaks softer when he's talking to McAdams. The impeccable acting is what helps viewers feel a part of the movie. The actors make the emotions feel so believable that the viewers take on the same emotions themselves. One of the most important aspects of the movie, though, is how the plot is arranged. The movies' beginning sets up an immediate emotional connection to Leo and Paige. People fall in love with the couple within the first few minutes of the movie and then are crushed when the tragic accident happens. This connection forces viewers to stay engaged in the movie to see what happens next to their favorite couple. The plot also keeps an important detail "hidden" throughout the movie until the end, which allows for a sense of surprise for viewers when they finally find out what has happened. This movie is probably not meant for everyone. Some people are not "hopeless romantics." Yet, this movie gives its viewers the opportunity to see a concept that is so widely known and yet is so rarely believed: "love conquers all." It's hard to watch this movie and NOT feel a connection to it. Viewers will want to dive right in and feel what the characters feel and see what the characters see. People will root for the good guy (Leo), boo the bad guy (Jeremy), and sometimes they will want to punch Paige in the face. They might cry, they will definitely laugh, and if at some point they don't get a little "love" feeling from the movie, there's something wrong with them.

The Vow (2012): Dir: Michael Sucsy / Cast: Channing Tatum, Rachel McAdams, Scott Speedman, Sam Neill, Jessica Lange: Romantic tear jerker that highlights the very commitment promised in marriage, and the fight to obtain it. Effective concept stars Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams as a young couple who are involved in an accident that leaves her in a coma. When she awakens she cannot remember the last five years of her life, including her marriage to Tatum. This becomes a struggle as he attempts to help her remember who she was, all the while spiralling into a predictable formula that often becomes corny. It really tests our intelligence during scenes where she differs from elements in her life that she previously enjoyed, such as the whole tickling bit. Then the film finds forgiveness in an ending that actually works better than not. The film is well directed by Michael Sucsy with terrific locations, but the strength of the film depends largely on its leads. Tatum delivers a strong performance as the owner of a recording studio who must figure out how to make his wife fall in love with him again. McAdams is equally strong as a woman trying to figure herself out. She remembers being a law student yet Tatum attempts to cue her into her transformation towards art. Weak supporting roles featuring Scott Speedman as that ex-boyfriend she was engaged to, and her conniving parents who do little more than meddle and pass judgement. Sam Neill and Jessica Lange are a total over the top embarrassment as the parents. It celebrates two hearts struggling to regain broken pieces. Score: 7 / 10

Well I was expecting a chick flick, but this is not your ordinary one at that, yes there are a lot of moments where this is very sweet, romantic and with the main lead without his shirt on, but it also has warmth, depth, a different plot and just a new thing about it that other chick flicks doesn't.Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum is a good movie couple, and even though the film is more about them not knowing or fitting together, they do and that makes this film good and of course sweet, romantic and chick flick material :)I actually was very entertained and even though this is not your typical sweet story, couple falls in love and live happily ever after, based on a real story kind of flick. It does have some qualities and punch lines that just work.