As is the case with many women around the world, watching a Nicholas Sparks movie makes me want to move to a small coastal town in North Carolina where I’ll unexpectedly meet the love of my life and live happily ever after. While this rarely happens in real life, if ever, it always happens to his characters and it gets me every time. A woman looking for a fresh start meets a man who is too good to be true, they kiss too soon, fall in love really fast, something tragic happens, they’re torn apart for awhile and then somehow it all works out in the end, usually unrealistically. Even though his latest — “Safe Haven” — fits this formula and momentarily heightened my expectations of romance to an unhealthy level, I still loved it.
Characters all uniquely lovable in their own way
I’m a sucker for sappy moments and quirky details, so when the main male character, Alex (Josh Duhamel), gives the main female character, Katie (Julianne Hough), a bike so she doesn’t have to walk into town every day, my heart may have melted a little bit. And I was almost inspired to paint my kitchen floor yellow someday when Alex’s daughter, Lexie (Mimi Kirkland), convinces Katie to do the same. Lexie’s character is definitely a highlight of the film. She’s bright-eyed, curly-haired and kind of witty for a 6-year-old. She falls for Katie instantly and, despite her youth, has a keen eye for the possibilities between Katie and her widowed father.
Other distinct and lovable characters include the snarky old man, Roger (Red West), who helps Alex run his convenience store, Katie’s welcoming and friendly neighbor, Jo (Cobie Smulders), and Lexie’s freckle-faced older brother, Josh (Noah Lomax), who is old enough to remember his mother and misses her badly.
Some aspects of film are too unbelievable
For those of you out there who are inclined to be turned off by the aforementioned cliches, you should know that “Safe Haven” contains some plot aspects for which Nicholas Sparks is not notorious. On the other side of the love story lies the mystery of the seemingly dark past that Katie is running away from. The audience is left hanging and wondering through the very end of the movie as they’re fed little pieces of what’s going on, but are left guessing the whole. I found myself contentedly surprised every time another truth was revealed, almost as if I was watching a crime show rather than a romance. If you give “Safe Haven” a chance, you’ll be in for some action and unpredictable twists.
Certain parts of the film were a little disappointing because they were a bit too over-the-top regarding their unrealistic nature, fitting nicely under the category of “would not and should not ever happen.” An example of this is the instance when Alex has Katie stay at his house, in his bed, with his children there. And then of course there’s a scene where they get caught in the rain together, which for some reason always turns out to be romantic in movies. But I liked everything else enough that I was able to ignore these few downsides.
Sparks knows how to play with people’s emotions and tug on their heartstrings. He’s not known for portraying sexual morality or realistic situations, and his lead roles are always filled by ridiculously attractive and famous actors. All that aside, I think he comes up with well-thought-out, entertaining stories, which is what most people are looking for in a movie. While “Safe Haven” is full of cliches, it’s also full of heartwarming characters, lots of smiles and good entertainment.
