The Vow

Jeri Jacquin, Movie Maven

Opening in theatres on Friday from director Michael Sucsy and Spyglass Entertainment comes a relationship filled with love and “The Vow”.

This film tells the story of Leo (Channing Tatum), a record producer who meets and falls madly for Paige (Rachel McAdams). There relationship is filled with love, friendships, marriage and the thoughts of a family.

But life can change in a second, which Leo finds out when they are in a car accident. Paige is sent into an induced coma as he waits patiently for his wife to wake up. When she finally does – Paige has no recollection of the past five years she has spent with Leo.

What Paige does remember is her father Bill (Sam Neill) and mother Rita (Jessica Lange) as they try to pull their daughter back into their home. When Leo objects, Paige agrees to give living with her husband a try. Eventually there is nothing keeping her from returning home and to a life she does remember.

Leo tries everything to win back the woman he loves, but sometimes you have to let go before it has a chance to come back!

FINAL WORD: Tatum carries the film entirely. From the moment he is on screen to the last he is compassionate beyond measure. His character wants to give Paige every opportunity to remember a life she loved, even at the cost of his own happiness. From scene to scene Tatum give every woman in the audience hope that a love like that does exist.

McAdams, on the other hand, as Paige starts out beautifully and goes down hill fast. Although I have been told by others that “oh, you can’t blame her for not remembering” I say sure you can! If this is suppose to be a romantic love story I find the character of Paige – post memory – cold, disassociated, blind and hard hearted. Sorry, that’s how I felt and the good news is I’m not the only one.

Lange as Rita is a good woman in so many ways. When it becomes clear about her relationship with Paige – I never before have heard love explained in such terms by a woman who might otherwise have good reason not to forgive. She does a beautiful job.

O’Neill as Sam is almost like McAdams character. He has no ability to be gracious, he’s cold hearted and doesn’t listen to anyone around him. Apple doesn’t fall far from the tree I suppose.

Other cast include: Messica McNamee as Gwen, Wendy Crewson as Dr. Fishman, Tatiana Maslany as Lily, Lucas Bryant as Kyle, Scott Speedman as Jeremy and Joey Klein as Josh.

TUBS OF POPCORN: I give “The Vow” three tubs of popcorn out of five. The story is supposedly inspired by true events but if that is so I feel sorry for Leo. I wanted this to be so much more than it was. I have no doubt it will do well for the hopeful at heart and the gals who need a Tatum fix. Yes ladies, he is as sweet in person as he is in the film.

I enjoy McAdams as an actress, that being said I found the role of Paige just to far away from anything I would consider romantic or a story for Valentines Day. Maybe I’m just becoming jaded!

In the end – he will do anything to win her heart – again!