Review of The Best of Me (2014) by Helen M — 08 Feb 2015

Dawson Cole works on an oil rig off the coast of Louisiana. One day, an explosion on the rig nearly kills him. throwing him into the water. Miraculously, he survives. Months later, Dawson learns that his close friend and surrogate father, Tuck Hostetler had died. Dawson returns home for the first time in twenty years to carry out Tuck's final wishes. Amanda Collier, a married housewife, also gets a call to be a part of the proceedings. Her overbearing husband tries to get her to stay but she goes anyway.

After Dawson arrives and settles in, he is surprised to learn that Amanda, who he hasn't seen in twenty-one years, also got a call. He greets her warmly but she awkwardly makes excuses and leaves.

In the past Dawson was a shy, kind boy while Amanda was a part of the popular group in school. She attempts to get to know Dawson but he quietly shrugs her off and is yelled at by his cousin, Bobby, for doing so. Later on, Amanda apparently sabotages her car to get Dawson to help her and after she points out his lack of skill in flirting, they make plans to meet up for dinner. At home, Dawson is beaten by his abusive father, Ted, when he refuses to help him with work on the night of his date with Amanda. He runs away and finds shelter from the rain in a random garage for the night. The next morning Tuck Hostetler finds him and lets him stay after learning about his situation.

After being stood up by Dawson, Amanda tracks him down to the garage to yell at him for it. Dawson tries to hide his injuries but when she is about to leave he explains that his black-eye is the reason he didn't want to go out in public. Amanda gives him a second chance and they spend their date eating ice cream and talking about their lives and futures on top of a water tower. Amanda wants to be a lawyer in a nonprofit organization for underprivileged children and a daughter named Bea, but Dawson doesn't think he'll be able to go to college. At the end of the night, they passionately kiss outside of Amanda's house after Amanda makes the first move.

In the present, Dawson and Amanda are in the attorney's office. Tuck didn't want anything to be spent on "frivolities" or a funeral. Dawson and Amanda could take whatever they wanted from his things and everything else except, for his cottage, to be donated to the American Pediatric Cancer Society. The cottage was to be shared by them and that's where he wanted his ashes to be scattered as well. He also left them individual letters to be read privately.

Afterwards Dawson tries to learn about Amanda's life and her family but she cuts him off and seems to want everything over with quickly. As she walks away Dawson quietly says he's sorry. Amanda reads Tuck's letter where he asks her to forgive Dawson and herself to relieve the emotional pain and wounds she's been living with.

In the past again Dawson and Amanda are playing around in the garage when Dawson's family pulls up. He forcefully makes Amanda leave, going so far as to shove her into her car. Ted beats him again and tells him to come home. Tuck arrives and threatens Ted with a rifle. He shoots up Ted's truck and nearly shoots off his hand when he tries to touch the flowers his wife grew. Once they leave Tuck tells Dawson to move his stuff inside the house to be safe. Dawson goes to Amanda's house and tries to warn her away from him to keep her safe. She won't budge and they end up kissing happily in the rain.