Monday, February 15, 2016

MOVIE REVIEW: THE CHOICE (2016)

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From IMDB:

Storyline

Travis and Gabby first meet as neighbors in a small coastal town and wind up in a relationship that is tested by life's most defining events.

The Choice (2016) on IMDb

Reviews 15 user | 39 critic

MOVIE INFO

When feisty medical student Gabby Holland moves in next door to perennial ladies' man Travis Shaw, it sends them both on a romantic journey neither ever dreamed possible. Travis has always believed a serious relationship with a woman would cramp his easygoing lifestyle, while Gabby is all set to settle down her long-term boyfriend-until an irresistible attraction between the unlikely couple upends both of their well-planned lives. After a whirlwind courtship, Gabby and Travis wed and build a family together, making every decision hand-in-hand until one of them is forced to make the most important choice of their life alone. A poignant and life-affirming celebration of love, marriage and family that explores the most heart-wrenching question of all: how far would you go to keep the hope of love alive?more

Rating: PG-13 (for sexual content and some thematic issues)
Genre: Drama, Romance
US Box Office: $13.3M
Runtime: 1 hr. 49 min.
Lionsgate Films

TOMATOMETER 7%
Average Rating: 3.4/10 | Reviews Counted: 57
Fresh: 4 | Rotten: 53
Critics Consensus: Like the 10 Nicholas Sparks movies before it, The Choice finds tragedy striking star-crossed lovers in the sun-dappled South -- yet even for those who loved its predecessors, this gauzy melodrama may feel painfully formulaic.
AUDIENCE SCORE 67% liked it
Average Rating: 3.6/5 | User Ratings: 8,314

THE CHOICE OPENED ON THE 5th OF FEBRUARY IN THE US AND ON THE 18th FEBRUARY IN MALAYSIA. TO FIND OUT WHEN IT OPENS NEAR YOU CLICK HERE.

This happens way, way later. He promises her the moon and the stars. On his own little island. ©Lionsgate

The latest in a long list of Nicholas Sparks books turned into movies... 

Based on the 2007 book of the same name this is the 11th movie based on a Nicholas Sparks novel, it's also the fifth to be produced by Nicholas Sparks. If you've seen any Nicholas Sparks movie or read his books you know what it's going to be about. You won't find anything new or surprising here. 

The whole story is basically in that Rotten Tomatoes synopsis up there. 

So what was it like to sit through one hour and fifty one minutes of this? Well, here's the thing I don't think that I've ever really sat through an entire Nicholas Sparks movie. Saw bits of pieces of The Notebook and heard of the others but to sit through one from start to finish, never. I know the ladies love The Notebook and some of the other Sparks films but not all of them. Maybe a hardcore fan would love them all. It's unlikely that a guy will admit that he likes or is a fan of them. Most likely the only reason a guy sits through one of his movies is because someone he's dating what to really see it or he's trying to score some brownie points. 

Her dog had puppies which she had assumed was because of his dog. It wasn't. It was some mutant dog because the puppies were born looking much older with eyes wide open. ©Lionsgate

There's a formula to these types of movies, they first meet, they either get along or don't, they have a fantastic romance, something happens to almost break them apart, they overcome it only to be faced with an even bigger hurdle and they overcome it and come out more in love with each other than ever before. This movie is that type of movie to a T. 

So Benjamin Walker plays Travis Shaw a vet with a new neighbour. He's got that southern drawl and charm much like Matthew McConaughey. Very likeable fella. His new neighbour who immediately finds him arrogant and annoying is Gabby played by Teresa Palmer who is an Australian actor trying to sound like someone who is also from the south but from a well to-do family which I guess is her excuse for not sounding too Southern or for her drawl to appear every so often. 

Also in this movie in somewhat important roles are Maggie Grace who plays Steph the younger sister who knows him so well she knows who he's going to fall in love with and Tom Wilkinson who plays Shep, the dad who imparts his own life experience and history to give a little colour to Travis's personality and background as well as pass a little advice to Travis at just the right moment. 

After a little back and forth banter and generally annoying each other they have dinner and start their romance. ©Lionsgate

To be honest I was a little bored watching this movie. I yawned more than once. But it wasn't entirely predictable and boring. I did enjoy Walker's performance, he didn't do a horrible job. Played off that Southern charm quite well. Tom Wilkinson does a good job as always. Maggie Grace not too bad either. Teresa Palmer on the other hand I wasn't too impressed with. She felt wooden at times then overly animated. And at times she made me think of Kristen Stewart and that's not a good thing. She has a few good scenes but too few to mention. The other thing I did like was the beauty shots around Wilmington, North Carolina but beauty shots aren't what a movie is all about. Also puppies born with eyes wide open and a woman who comes out of a coma and goes home immediately doesn't help either. 

So basically what I'm saying is that this movie is entirely predictable with little to actually look forward to. The only reason to watch this movie is if you're a huge fan of Nicholas Sparks, his books and movies or your looking for a movie for date night and Deadpool isn't going to cut it. I'm going to give this movie a 2.3 out of 5. An subpar movie for the genre. 

Here's the trailer. 



THE CHOICE IS DISTRIBUTED IN MALAYSIA BY TGV PICTURES SO BE SURE TO HEAD ON OVER TO TGV.COM.MY TO GET YOUR TICKETS. 



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