Review of Nights in Rodanthe (2008) by Jonathan P — 08 May 2010

CAST: Diane Lane, Ricard Gere, Christopher Meloni, Mae Whitman, Viola Davis, James Franco, Scott Glenn.

DIRECTED BY: George C. Wolfe.

SUMMARY: Adrienne Willis (Diane Lane), a woman with her life in chaos, retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend?s inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquility she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her?a wayward husband who has asked to come home, and a teenaged daughter who resents her every decision. Almost as soon as Adrienne gets to Rodanthe, a major storm is forecast and Dr. Paul Flanner (Richard Gere) arrives. The only guest at the inn, Flanner is not on a weekend escape but rather is there to face his own crisis of conscience. Now, with the storm closing in, the two turn to each other for comfort and, in one magical weekend, set in motion a life-changing romance that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

MY THOUGTHS: I really liked the story, but the ending I am still unsure about. I didn't even for a second see that happening. I thought it was just going to be one of those predictable love stories. How very wrong I was. I am all for the non typical endings. But I wanted it to be typical in this film. It was just so sad. I really felt for the characters. Diane and Richard were great together. All of the acting was good. Seemed a little forced with Mae at times. But for most, all did a great job.