Channing Tatum plays a young man named John Tyree on leave from the military. He meets a girl named Savannah, played by Amanda Seyfried from “Mamma Mia.”
Grab your box of tissues and get ready to cry.
“Dear John” is based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks.
John Tyree proves to be a quiet yet tough guy who is interested in Savannah. They fall in love within the course of the two weeks that John is on leave.
This seems a little farfetched and things move a little too quickly in their relationship. When John ends up having to go back to the Army Special Forces, he gets deployed around the world while Savannah has to go back to college.
They promise to write letters to each other so that they are “closer together” even though they are thousands of miles apart. John pledges to Savannah that once his time is up serving his country, they will be back together forever.
When complications arise in 2001, John and Savannah have to handle a change in plans. John gets a very surprising and startling letter from Savannah that changes everything.
Once John finally is finished his time in the military, he comes back to see Savannah and finds her a changed woman. This is both a heart wrenching and tear jerking scene. It had been six or so years but even so, this surprised me as well.
Channing Tatum was not “brilliant” playing Tyree, but was not awful. It felt like one of Tatum’s regular roles with what seemed like him talking in a monotone voice throughout the movie. Amanda Seyfried proved she could act in a love story that was not as upbeat as “Mama Mia”, but when she let the water works flow, it didn’t seem quite that believable. In all, “Dear John” was a classic love story that didn’t completely live up to my expectations, but is still worth seeing.
If you are looking for a love story with twists and turns, a scene with a stunning Channing Tatum shirtless on the beach, and an audience with tears in their eyes, grab a friend and see “Dear John.”
It is worth that box of tissues.
Elise Adamson can be reached for comment at [email protected]
Kailey Tracy can be reached for comment at [email protected]