THE BEST OF ME – based on the book by Nicholas Sparks andstarring James Marsden, Michelle Monaghan, Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato opened in theaters last week and to celebrate WAMG and Relativity are giving away a THE BEST OF ME prize pack. Enter below!
Based on the bestselling novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, THE BEST OF ME tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 20 years apart, when they return to their small town for the funeral of a beloved friend.
Their bittersweet reunion reignites the love they’ve never forgotten, but soon they discover the forces that drove them apart twenty years ago live on, posing even more serious threats today. Spanning decades, this epic love story captures the enduring power of our first true love, and the wrenching choices we face when confronted with elusive second chances.
One lucky winner will receive:
Branded hoodie
Branded lip balm
Branded tote bag
Branded Kleenex box
Branded coffee mug
“The Best of Me” book by Nicholas Sparks
Soundtrack from the film
Mini Poster
$25 Fandango gift card
TO ENTER:
1. YOU MUST BE A U.S. RESIDENT WITH A U.S. SHIPPING ADDRESS. NO P.O. BOXES.
2. PLACE YOUR NAME, A VALID EMAIL, AND ANSWER TO THE QUESTION BELOW IN THE COMMENT SECTION OF THIS POST.
3. What is your favorite Nicholas Sparks book or movie? Why?
WINNERS WILL BE CHOSEN THROUGH A RANDOM DRAWING OF QUALIFYING CONTESTANTS. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. PRIZES WILL NOT BE SUBSTITUTED OR EXCHANGED.
Nicholas Sparks latest romantic flick THE BEST OF ME has finally proven that the same, formulaic love story doesn’t always end up successful.
THE BEST OF ME tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two high school sweethearts that run back into each other after returning to their hometown after 21 years for a funeral. Soon, their romance reignites, and the two seem to finally be back on track. The only problem is that the trouble that caused their initial split begins to loom. Can their love survive another trip down memory lane?
If you’ve ever seen a Nicholas Spark film you already know the answer to the above question.
Let me start off by saying that I do not hate the work of Nicholas Sparks. I enjoyed THE NOTEBOOK. I might not have gone gaga over it like the rest of the world, but I really enjoyed it. I also liked this more than NIGHTS IN RODANTHE, which is on my list of most hated movies. This film did not make that list. I think Sparks is a passionate guy that can tell a great story. My complaint is that he needs to stop telling the same one and give us something new!
THE BEST OF ME follows the same formula as every other Nicholas Sparks film. I will dub this formula ‘SPARKANOMICS’.
1. Opposites Attract: A couple who shouldn’t be together throw caution to the wind and fall for each other.
2. Letters Galore: Despite the year, this head-over-heels couple contain their feelings, and must express themselves by putting pen to paper. Even if that beautiful envelope doesn’t see a mailbox, the person addressed on the front will always find it.
3. The Obstacle: No one can remain happy. Something tragic or crazy always has to show up and pee in everyone’s Cheerios.
4. Kissing While Wet: This can happen at any point in the movie. At some point, it’s going to rain, or these crazy kids are going to go swimming. What goes with water? Face eating. Always. Someone grab the towels!
4. Reunited And It Feels So Good: Screw everything that has, is or will happen! Love is stronger than anything, and this is the ‘rush into each others arms’ moment.
5. Duhn-Duhn-Duhhhhhhn! You guessed it. Doom. For some odd reason Nicholas Sparks feels the need to kill off one, or both of the main characters in all of his films.
6. Life Is Beautiful: This is the conclusion where the final lesson is presented to the audience. Despite all of the horrible obstacles, love is still more powerful. It’s a gift and we should appreciate it while we have it. Aww!
There you go. You have now seen every Nicholas Sparks film without ever having to actually watch them. This predictable formula is present in every one of his films. How are we, as the audience, still falling for it?
I guess I should talk about this film, even though you already know all about it based on the formula. THE BEST OF ME follows ‘SPARKANOMICS’ to a tee. The story itself is watered down, and feels like it was half-assed and slapped on a screen. When you have a tried-and-true method to make money I guess you don’t really have to try anymore. What makes this sad is that the acting was great. James Marsden and Luke Bracey were incredible as Dawson and younger Dawson. The same goes for Michelle Monaghan and Loana Liberato as Amanda and younger Amanda. Both pairings, Marsden and Monaghan, and Bracey and Liberato had incredible chemistry together. They pulled the audience in with their emotional ranges. Unfortunately, there is only so much they can do to help the film. By the time one of the characters dies (Calm down. This isn’t a spoiler. It happens in every movie!) I found myself scoffing at the screen. I actually hoped that this one would be different. Sigh.
I don’t know why, but timelines are completely thrown out of the window in terms of costume and set, much like every other film. Crap! Add that to the list! The flashback scenes are supposed to be happening in 1992, but feel more like the 50’s or 60’s. The same odd sense of time happens during the present day scenes, with the exception of one iPhone. I get wanting things to have a sense of timelessness, but I like the feeling of a realistic decade on-screen.
There are only two things that I will congratulate this film on. One is being the first film to stray as much as it did from the book. I’m not saying that it’s good for the story, but at least director Michael Hoffman tried. The second is the use the Cowboy Junkies version of ‘Sweet Jane’ deserves a high-five. That’s a damn good song!
If you are looking for movie that feels like you’ve seen it before, then this is the film for you. If you want romance, I suggest you save your money and just re-watch THE NOTEBOOK.
It’s fall, love is in the air, the leaves are changing color, and Relativity’s new love story THE BEST OF ME hits theaters this Friday. We know you love a good love story, so recently I attended a press day for the film in Los Angeles for the film where I sat down with writer / producer Nicholas Sparks for an exclusive interview. Check it out below!
Based on the bestselling novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, THE BEST OF ME tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 20 years apart, when they return to their small town for the funeral of the beloved friend. Their bittersweet reunion reignites the love they’ve never forgotten, but soon they discover the forces that drove them apart twenty years ago live on, posing even more serious threats today. Spanning decades, this epic love story captures the enduring power of our first true love, and the wrenching choices we face when confronted with elusive second chances.
What do you think it is about you that makes you able to look beyond the tragedy and find the good in your writing, or even in life?
NICHOLAS SPARKS : Well, I think it comes from a little bit of my world view… in that tragedy isn’t the end of the world. I started my career with the idea that all great love stories, by definition, have to end in tragedy because at one point or another one of them dies. It doesn’t matter if you’re talking about the love of your life, or your parents, or your siblings, or your friends, or your pet. Great loves, by definition… it has to end in tragedy, so it’s inevitable. That doesn’t mean that you can’t find joy in life. Even if you know it’s going to end tragically, that doesn’t mean that you have to have a tragic life. You enjoy love, and the moments that it’s in your life because it provides you with everything you live for.
It seems like a prop in the background of all of your stories are letters, regardless of the timeframe. Are you hoping to preserve the art form, or is it strictly for the romanticism?
NICHOLAS SPARKS : Both. Yeah, you know, I still write letters. I still hand write letters, and I still receive hand written letters. So, it’s still out there, and I think it’s a wonderful… As far as a novel goes it’s a wonderful way to – perhaps if you’r writing a third person novel – to shift into first person for a little bit to provide additional depth and emotion for that particular character. I also admire the craft of writing a good letter. When people reach out to me because they are struggling, for whatever reason, my first instinct is ‘Ok. I shall write them a letter.’ as opposed to necessarily sending flowers, or something. I do that as well, but my first instinct is to write a letter because there is something beautiful in the written word if it’s done in a meaningful, authentic way. It’s sad to me that people don’t do it as much, but there are those that do, and those that do find great meaning in it whether they are writing them or receiving them.
Building off of that, we’re living in a time where social media is all over the place, and people are living through their phones. How do you balance bringing your films up to date with keeping the nostalgia?
NICHOLAS SPARKS : Well, I think technology changes. Technology obviously changes but the emotions don’t. For me, I don’t necessarily focus in on any sort of technology. I don’t think it’s necessarily intrinsic to the stories that I’m wanting to write. Emotion changes so incredibly slowly. If you were in love in 1950, or falling in love in 1950 it felt the same as falling in love today. You can go watch CASABLANCA, right? They write this film, and it’s this deep ache… You could see the depth of love they had for each other. That doesn’t change. It just doesn’t change. So, whether they have cell phones, or look up something on the computer rather than a novel… the emotional connection comes from one-on-one interaction.
The internet was buzzing last week about a statistic released by the U.S. government. According to their tracking, this is the first time that there are more single adults than married. I’m just curious if you think that this, or factors relating to it will, in any way, affect your writing in the future.
NICHOLAS SPARKS : Not necessarily. I don’t think it will. It’s certainly known that there are challenges for people who are single that may not have been married.
What do you think makes a love story that appeals to a broad audience?
NICHOLAS SPARKS : It’s something that I keep in mind as I’m writing. I have tried to vary everything in the novels with the exception that if they take place in North Carolina, there may be a love story, and it’s probably going to be in a small town. Everything else is different, from the theme, the ages of the characters, the dilemma… In my most recent novel they were Jewish, and they were ninety years old, and I did A WALK TO REMEMBER. They were teenagers. I did THE NOTEBOOK. Well, he way eighty! He was also 28, or something like that. I’ve done characters in their early fifties, or their late forties. I do try to vary it to bring in, I guess the concept that love is possible at any age, and that when it’s right it’s right. I think that’s timeless at twelve or timeless at eighty.
The official is here for Relativity Studios’ upcoming movie, THE BEST OF ME.
Starring Michelle Monaghan, James Marsden, Luke Bracey and Liana Liberato, this timeless love story opens in theaters nationwide on October 17.
Based on the bestselling novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, THE BEST OF ME tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 20 years apart, when they return to their small town for the funeral of a beloved friend.
Their bittersweet reunion reignites the love they’ve never forgotten, but soon they discover the forces that drove them apart twenty years ago live on, posing even more serious threats today. Spanning decades, this epic love story captures the enduring power of our first true love, and the wrenching choices we face when confronted with elusive second chances.
From director Michael Hoffman, the film also stars Luke Bracey, Liana Liberato, Caroline Goodall, Sebastian Arcelus, Jon Tenney and Gerald McRaney.
James Marsden and Michelle Monaghan star in the new poster for Relativity Media’s THE BEST OF ME.
The film opens in theaters nationwide on October 17.
Based on the bestselling novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, THE BEST OF ME tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 20 years apart, when they return to their small town for the funeral of a beloved friend.
Their bittersweet reunion reignites the love they’ve never forgotten, but soon they discover the forces that drove them apart twenty years ago live on, posing even more serious threats today. Spanning decades, this epic love story captures the enduring power of our first true love, and the wrenching choices we face when confronted with elusive second chances.
From director Michael Hoffman, the film also stars Luke Bracey, Liana Liberato, Caroline Goodall, Sebastian Arcelus, Jon Tenney and Gerald McRaney.
Relativity Media has released the first trailer for their upcoming THE BEST OF ME starring Michelle Monaghan and James Marsden.
Based on the bestselling novel by acclaimed author Nicholas Sparks, THE BEST OF ME tells the story of Dawson and Amanda, two former high school sweethearts who find themselves reunited after 20 years apart, when they return to their small town for the funeral of a beloved friend.
Their bittersweet reunion reignites the love they’ve never forgotten, but soon they discover the forces that drove them apart twenty years ago live on, posing even more serious threats today. Spanning decades, this epic love story captures the enduring power of our first true love, and the wrenching choices we face when confronted with elusive second chances.
The film also features Luke Bracey, Liana Liberato, Caroline Goodall, Sebastian Arcelus, Jon Tenney and Gerald McRaney.
THE BEST OF ME opens in theaters nationwide on October 17, 2014.
