Review - Safe Haven

Safe Haven Protects Sparks’ Turf

Nicholas Sparks is it when it comes to romance. Women swoon just knowing that a Sparks’ novel is coming to the big screen. And he has been known to deliver a story that puts couples together combining the beautiful and interesting people. Sitting down to Safe Haven, I knew I wasn’t really in my wheelhouse, but I thought I would give it a ride.

Here’s this Sparks journey.

A young woman named Katie (Julianne Hough) has ran from a problem. After jumping on a bus headed south, she just looks to find a place where she can blend in and start again, but why?

Here journey brings her to Alex’s (Josh Duhamel) little shop on the coast in the Carolinas. It is there that Katie begins to start again. Far from the problems she left behind, Katie begins to learn how to live again. As she starts to accept Alex and his family, the realization that not all behavior is like what existed in her life in the North. But can she fully accept him?

With the help of a nice neighbor Jo (Colbie Smulders), she will get some encouragement and lessons on how to love again. Accepting the kindness of strangers and moving forward instead of looking back will become her goal. But can she really put the past behind her?

In typical Sparks’ film fashion, we are treated to two likable main characters portrayed by Duhamel and Hough. They are people that we want to see succeed, even if we don’t know the back story on Hough. Throw in Colbie Smulders and we’ve got a really attractive, talented cast.

The story is there, and I can imagine this being a fabulous book. Sparks tells a good tale that takes trouble and turns it to love. He takes the simple and makes it beautiful. But as can be the challenge with Sparks’ stories, the transition to the screen is not always easy. And that is the case with Safe Haven.

Where the film fails the audience is the clunky manner in which the Sparks story translates to the screen. Transitions felt disjointed and out of place. Leaps of faith that, I’m sure must have been explained better in the book, leave you wondering and wanting more. But despite these issues, Safe Haven is still a film that will resonate with its target audience.

Nicholas Sparks provides a respite for romance fans and they will be happy to know that their haven is safe in this film.

B-
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

Safe Haven                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Relativity Media

Director: Lasse Hallstrom

Cast: Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Colbie Smulders

Rating: PG-13 for thematic material involving threatening behavior and violence and sexuality.

Runtime: 1 hours 55 minutes