Collegiate Times

The film is about a girl named Paige (McAdams) who loses her memory after a severe car crash. Instead of remembering her life in the city as an artist with her husband Leo (Tatum), she wakes up thinking she’s in law school engaged to her previous boyfriend Jeremy (Scott Speedman). Leo is faced with the daunting task of making his wife fall back in love with him.

It might have been because I had to sit in the front row of a full theater, but I was extremely disappointed. The movie was just OK — satisfactory even. I enjoyed it, but it doesn’t even compare with “The Notebook.”

McAdams and Tatum have great chemistry, so I can’t blame them. The progression of the storyline just fell flat. The transitions were awkward, and many scenes were forced and cliche. There were two specific scenes where the background is set up to be picture perfect, yet natural, and it didn’t work.

There’s a scene with a father pulling his child on a sleigh in the middle of the street, as well as a scene where McAdams awkwardly storms into the picture on a bicycle. I understand what was trying to be done, but it was just stereotypical — too perfect. We all want to vicariously live through the actors, but no one bought
it.

I truly wanted this movie to be great. Maybe my expectations were too high going into the film. I’m sure this is one of those movies I will like more the next time I watch it because my expectations won’t be as great, but I am still disappointed.

I am one of the many that fell in love with “The Notebook.” The chemistry between McAdams and Ryan Gosling, who recently starred in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” (2011) and “Drive” (2011), seems to be unbeatable.

Perhaps the reason the film is untouchable is because McAdams and Gosling fell in love onscreen, and I secretly hope they get back together in real life. Whatever the reason, “The Notebook,” yet again, remains on top. 

To sum it up: If you’re low on cash and craving a love story, watch the preview of “The Vow” on YouTube and that should suffice.

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A version of this article appeared in the Feb 14 issue of the Collegiate Times.