The movie “Nights in Rodanthe”
captures the love story of two older people in real-life situations with families who have real problems. Even though the subject matter may not seem hot or sexy, the fans of the film agree that it captures a beauty of its own by portraying the unpredictable in life. One of the main messages is also getting a second chance at the kind of love “where anything is possible.”
Adrienne, played by Diane Lane, and Dr.Paul Flanner, played by, Richard Gere, are emotionally distressed in the movie and both carry a load of baggage.
The two meet by chance when Adrienne decides to help out a friend and take care of her inn in Rodanthe on the Outer Banks in North Carolina one weekend. Almost
right after she arrives, she is informed that there is a big storm rolling in and that a single guest will be staying at the inn with her this weekend, Paul.
Both Adrienne and Paul see themselves as one dimensional before they meet. Adrienne thinks the only thing she got right was being a good mom because her marriage had gone bad when her ex-husband cheated on her and had an affair. Paul thinks he was a good doctor until the last surgery when a patient died on the table and he received the blame for it.
When they meet each other, after the first few awkward conversations
they begin to seek solace
in one another’s company and “save” one another. As the big storm rolls in, so does the passion and the two fall in love.
The importance of family is the underlying theme as is the theme that we can hurt the people we love the most but that nothing is beyond repair when you really love each other. The relationship between Adrienne and her daughter
brought many to tears as the film drew to a climax, making it not just a great date movie but a perfect mother-daughter pick as well.
The ending is a twist ending that promises to be riveting and emotional and much is learned about appreciating what you have and making the most of life because
life is fragile just like these characters. Their vulnerability is incredibly tangible and practically
jumps off the screen. It makes them very easy to relate to.
The film, directed by the playwright George C. Wolfe and adapted from a Nicholas Sparks’ novel, has received mixed reviews from other critics and fans. If you like Nicholas Sparks’ other books such as “The Notebook” and “A Walk to Remember,” this movie has the same emotional and powerful
resonance but its characters are older so it gives it a slightly different feel.
The scenery of “Nights of Rodanthe”
is absolutely breathtaking,
especially a really touching scene where horses gallop across the beach.
The acting was good, but Gere is getting a little old and it shows. However, he stills manages to pull off appearing the suave yet troubled leading man. Lane is wonderfully believable and raw and pulls off an amazing performance.
This is the third movie that Gere and Lane appeared in together. They also costarred together
in “Unfaithful” and “The Cotton Club.”
The movie did run for about two hours and there was so much plot to condense. The time lapses seemed a little rushed at the end, but were probably supposed to seem that way for dramatic purposes.
All and all it was a B movie that won’t win any awards but still has within it messages that are important for us as the human race to remember. The echoing statement that any viewer can take away from this movie is that there is nothing as important as love and family and that everyone deserves both.
