Review of Nights in Rodanthe (2008) by Chads. — 26 Sep 2008

She had him at, "I was planning on grilling a salmon for dinner." He needed forgiveness, this big shot doctor from the bayou, who had recently lost a local resident on his operating table. He should've lost her the second after mentioning his failure to inform the family about their loved one's death in person; the grieving husband, who asks Dr.

Paul Flanner(Richard Gere) if he remembers the color of his wife's eyes, already knows the answer. The son certainly knows a d*** when he sees one, and kicks in the doctor's car door. Heck, even the doctor's own son thinks his father is a tool.

Mark(James Franco) is so PO'ed at the old man, he moves to Ecquador. But still, Adrienne(Diane Lane) sees the potential in this deeply flawed man. They compare baggage. They clean out her friend's pantry.

They do a round of shots. All Paul ever wanted out of life was to be a good doctor. But now that he's met this wonderful woman, the big shot doctor from the bayou is going to learn the greatest lesson of all: how to be a good man.

It's hard to miss the moment when Adrienne falls for Paul. There's the long, deep, passionate kiss, of course, and, oh, as if that wasn't enough, there's the inclement weather to help symbolize, with all the subtlety of a hole in your head, the washing away of their past transgressions.

Soon, after the storm, they're slow dancing on the pier, and celebrating the crab. The storm turns them back into teenagers. When they part with such sweet sorrow, they exchange letters. "Nights of Rodanthe" tries for second-chance romance, but it always seems a little off, because the film is unaware to the fact that Adrienne ended up with a man who's even worse than her husband.

God knows. And does something about it.