Basically, if you're a romantic drama type, you'll love this movie. I'm NOT a romantic drama type, and I still enjoyed it immensely. The shining star, no pun intended, for me was Channing Tatum. He added so much subtle, and sometimes not-so-subtle, comedy to the movie. The ending was also not expected but I was satisfied with it. That said though, I could have easily watched another 30 minutes of this. No one was ready for it to end and that's a good sign. The plot is what it is, being based on a true story and all. It felt like the screenwriters and director wanted to stay close to the actual events and it worked. I would have paid for this and been happy. Romance drama fans will be pleased. Non romance drama fans will be pleased.
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skitz101529 January 2012
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While reading up on "The Vow", I learned that professional reviewers didn't particularly care for this film. The same can be said for many of the IMDb reviews. While I would disagree, since I really enjoyed the film, I can certainly understand some of the dislike. For folks wanting a traditional romantic film, "The Vow" isn't exactly a date movie. A traditional date film has a formula--including a happy ending. And, oddly, the film ends on a hopeful but vague note--disappointing those needing the happy finale.
In addition to reading up on the reviews, I also looked into the story of Kimand Krickitt Carpenter--the couple whose real life story inspired this film. I say inspires because so much of the film is fictional and the religious faith of the Carpenters was omitted in "The Vow". It's sad, as although you don't want a preachy film, it's odd how in films today there is NO reference to God or almost none and this might have been an interesting addition to the movie.
Now on to the film. The story, if you don't know, is about a newly married couple who are in a terrible traffic accident. Leo (Channing Tatum) is okay but his wife, Paige (Rachel McAdams) is left in a coma. Oddly, when she awakens, she has a strange sort of amnesia where the most recent portion of her life is missing. This means she has no idea who her husband is and their time together is, naturally, quite uncomfortable and awkward. At the same time, Paige's no longer existent relationship with her parents is suddenly given a second chance and they work hard to recapture her love and make her the girl she used to be. What will become of poor Leo?
The two leads, McAdams and Tatum were quite good in the film and easy to watch. The script rather clever and enjoyable. And, overall I have very little negative to say about the film. Well worth seeing--just be forewarned that although there is a lot of romance in the film, it is not at all traditional or what you might expect from such a movie. -
Rola23 February 2012When I went with my two friends to see this movie, I thought we were in for a ladies night out and a teary chick flick. I was pleasantly surprised. The drama and dialog were very believable and realistic, and it was pleasingly funny in places. The fact that the setting was clearly Chicago without any effort to try and hide street signs and restaurant placards only added to the charm and believability of the movie. Quickly into the film I was wishing I was friends with this couple and could hang out with them and be part of their lives. When the credits started rolling I desired our relationship to continue. O.k. maybe I had a couple of tears, but I would definitely see this movie again and take my husband. After seeing the number of men in the audience who enjoyed it, I think he would feel comfortable attending and glad that he went.
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TxMike6 June 2012The title of the movie is a reference to the wedding vows that Paige and Leo wrote for their own ceremony, their vows to love and support each other no matter what. And that plays precisely into the story.
Set in Chicago, Rachel McAdams is Paige and Channing Tatum is Leo. She had been in law school, because that is what her parents wanted for her, but she had dropped out of that to pursue art, particularly sculpture. She had become estranged from her parents. He was a musician and ran a small recording studio. They met, fell in love, were married.
One evening they were goofing off a bit in the car, which required that she remove her seat belt. On the snowy road they were rear-ended by a truck, which pushed the car into a pole. She went through the windshield and ended up badly injured in the hospital, and kept in an induced coma for a time.
When she awoke she didn't know who Leo was. She had no memory of any part of her life since her law school days, and thought she was still in law school. She obviously was surprised to know she was married to Leo.
So what we have here is a story of two people trying to reconnect after this trauma. In fact Paige more than anything needed to figure out who she was, and in the process a number of family issues had to come up and be dealt with. Plus the old boyfriend that she had broken off with before she met Leo.
Jessica Lange as Rita Thornton and Sam Neill as Bill Thornton are effective as Paige's parents.
Good movie, takes an unconventional path to get to where Paige and Leo are able to discover each other in a fresh manner, and take the first steps to possibly reconnect as they had before the accident.
Feb 2013: Saw it on Blu-ray, enjoyed it even more, based on a true story. -
rudy-zung11 February 2012The Vow is a wonderful little movie. At first blush, the movie seemed like it's another 50 First Dates, but without the comedy. The only similarity to 50 First Dates is that both the female leads suffer from amnesia with their respective significant others trying to win her heart. The Vow actually comes across having a feel more like The Notebook.
It's the story of the romance between Leo (Channing Tatum) and Paige (Rachel McAdams), and who are victims of a car accident. Leo recovers, but Paige emerges with no memories of her whole relationship nor marriage to Leo, and he must now make her fall in love with him again. In her mind, as Leo says in one of the trailers for this movie, she's still engaged to her ex-fiancé.
The movie manages to avoid cheap Hollywood writing, and gently leads you down its plot. Just when you think you might know where the story is going, it heads in a different direction. Details are revealed to you layer by layer as Paige discovers them. Tatum's voice-over was somewhat annoying, and unnecessary.
In trying to remember her memories, Paige manages to gain a new life. Opening in time for Valentine's Day, this makes for a wonderful date-night movie. -
claudio_carvalho3 November 2012In Chicago, Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) have just married and they are in love for each other. In a snowing night, they have a car accident and Paige has a serious head injury and stays in coma. When she awakes, she has partial recollection of her life until five years ago and she does not recognize Leo.
Her estranged parents Rita (Jessica Lange) and Bill Thornton (Sam Neill) use the unusual situation to bring Paige back home. Leo decides to woo her again to have his wife back, but her ex-fiancé Jeremy (Scott Speedman) is courting Paige and she does not know why she had broken with him.
"The Vow" is a cute movie based on a true story. The cast is great, with Jessica Lange, Sam Neill and Scott Speedman in supporting roles. The charming Rachel McAdams performs a character that had completely changed her personality from a silly Valley girl dominated by her wealthy parents to a cool artist, but after the accident she returns to her previous behavior; however the role of Leo deserved a better actor. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Para Sempre" ("Forever") -
Ahmedfadil006 January 2022The biggest and most difficult test that a lover goes through. This movie is a lesson about loyalty, love and patience. Leo, the hero of this movie, was patient and gave and sacrificed a lot.
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FFman-847-46012615 February 2012The Vow was made for the Valentine's Day audience. As I went into this movie on the evening of February 14th, the theatre was packed with couples. This movie gave them exactly what they paid for. There were plenty of cute moments that make you say, "ahhhhhh." There strange nostalgic moments that makes you realize exactly how much time Rachel McAdams forgot (wait for the moment when she turns to Channing Tatum and asks him who the President of the United States is).
This movie delivered for the audience at large. But several problems persist. For such a unique perspective on memory loss, The Vow falls into the flow of the average romantic comedy. As the core of the storyline develops (which strangely reminds me of Terri Schiavo), I can't help but feel like I have seen this before. There were so many interesting possibilities that a memory-loss movie could pursue. Instead, the writing team (which is known for big star movies such as He's Just Not That Into You and Valentine's Day) decides to take the safe route. The writing team stops this movie from being great.
Despite its problems, The Vow relies heavily on its actors. With Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Sam Neill, and Scott Speedman (who I still see as the romantic interest from the TV hit "Felicity), relying so heavily on your actors is perfectly alright. Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum have a chemistry that I didn't expect. This chemistry drives the storyline forwards and leads to several dramatic and hilarious scenes that will surprise you.
I need to make a note about movies that are "Based on a True Story." It's difficult to take these story lines at face value. By basing a story on true events, the producers are hoping that you will not look too far into the plausibility of the situation. When you compare the movie with the true events, however, the differences are immense. Namely, the movie makes the crash result in one problem: the loss of several years of memories. In reality, the woman what badly hurt and also suffered from severe short term memory loss. The possibility of losing several years of memories and not haven't any other physical side-effects (aside form a tiny scar around her eyes) is almost entirely impossible.
The Vow is cute enough to enjoy at face-value. If you are looking for a movie to simply enjoy and not think too deeply, this is the movie for you. 2012 has been an awful year for Romantic Comedies. One for the Money was dreadful. This Means War promises to be almost as bad. If you are pining for a romantic comedy, this will fill your appetite until the first great one of the year is released. Looking over the list of romantic comedies to be released, however, there isn't much. My money is on the new American Pie movie. -
MovieCriticMarvelfan3 February 2012The movie will definitely put a smile on your face. It's a romantic drama with a few brushes of comedy thrown in.
Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum play a young married couple whose lives take a tragic fate when they suffer a head on car accident.
McAdams's character isn't horribly disfigured or anything like that, but she suffer brain trauma which has blocked all memory of Tatum's character Leo.
Leo tries to get regain her memory by trying to have her fall in love with him again.
It's true that these types of movies aren't original, but that doesn't bother me too much as long as the product is good.
The performances are excellent, Channing and Rachel have great chemistry and supporting cast from Sam Neil to Jessica Lange is more than adequate.
All it's just a nice romantic movie. -
What happens when the love of your life forgets you completely and you need to remind the moments you have shared with the person. Vow, based on a true story, was decent rom-com which had some fine moments to sustain you through the entire film coupled by good performances and good storyline.
Leo is happily married to Paige and they are having the great time together until they meet with fatal accident and life turns topsy when Paige goes into Coma and loses her memory, including her husband. Leo must must convince her and remind her of all the beautiful moments they spent together in order to bring his wife back.
Directed by Michael Sucsy , The Vow is the perfect date movie in the recent times. The story is based on the true events which makes it more interesting and admiring. Right from the beginning till the end , the film keeps you entertained and that is the highlight of the movie. Though it loses steam in between , but gathers momentum at the later reel . Direction wise , Sucsy has done a good job by extracting good performances by the lead cast. Screenplay is just fine getting ample scope for improvement. Kim and Krickitt Carpenter wrote the book entitled The Vow about their marriage that was interrupted by memory loss. Production design is good with good background score gelling well with the film. Coming to performances , Channing Tatum and Rachael Mcadams are easily one of the sought out actors of today's generation. They played their part with utmost conviction.
The Vow is one of rom-com date film that will be enjoyed with your partner with blend of good food coupled with romantic eve. Good 3.5/5 -
samsumm199210 March 2012I saw the trailer and immediately thought chick flick something good to see with the girls or drag my boyfriend too. And sitting in the theater as the credits are rolling the only thing going through my mind was that I felt jipped. It's nothing like how it seems in the trailer. The trailer makes it out that she's working with Leo to regain her memory and eventually fall back in love with him. And it is like the last 20 minutes! The rest of the time you just want to punch her because she's acting like a little brat unwilling to even consider the reasons or facts about her being with Leo. She basically blows him off and acts like he doesn't even matter. Redbox it is my suggestion.
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bpeterson10114 February 2012This is my first review, so you may take it with a grain of salt. I usually spend a lot of time reading reviews but never care to write. I was so impressed by this film that I just had to write something and share with the IMDb world what an amazing film this is. I was dragged to this movie by my wife. I don't really care for these kinds of movies, but as I sat there watching the film I became so intertwined with the characters. This movie does an excellent job at building the characters and allowing you to feel the emotion. I wouldn't really recommend this film to single guys, maybe a group of girls, but being married and having a sense of understanding of that kind of love is being portrayed really made an impact on me, so a definite yes to couples! There were many things in that film that I could relate to which was amazing, tears and laughter! I also love how this film portrayed marriage. Anymore these days films are skewing the way marriage should be, and how we should treat one another; it's truly sad. Wonderful film!! Highly recommend it to anyone married young or old.
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preppy-311 February 2012Leo (Channing Tatum) and Paige (Rachel McAdams) have been happily married for 4 years. Then they're in a car accident. They're both fine but Paige has completely lost her memory of the previous years--including meeting Leo, falling in love and marrying him. Leo is determined to help her regain her memory but her nasty parents (Sam Neill and Jessica Lange) don't like him and want her to live with them and let Leo go.
I won't lie--I went to see this to see Tatum's butt shot (which lasts all of 12 seconds). It's worth seeing but so is the movie! It's pretty well-done and I was never bored. The movie never gets too syrupy and doesn't try to force the audience to cry. There are some beautiful shots of Chicago and a good music score. Tatum can't act (everybody knows that) but he still is very good in most of his scenes. McAdams is excellent in her role. Also (even better) is that these two play off each other very well and makes you root for them even more.
On the debit side--Neill and Lange are stuck with the evil parents roles and can do little with them. Even worse is Scott Speedman as an ex-fiancé. He looks terrible and doesn't even try to act. The movie moves unsteadily. Scenes start out of nowhere and seem to end before they're finished (I'm assuming there was a lot of prerelease cutting). Still, I liked it and I'm not ashamed to admit that I broke down crying more than once. If you like chick flicks and rom-coms this is for you. I give it a 7. -
If this movie was based on a true story, sorry but the main character is a bitch! I agree with other reviews that she's just so selfish. She lost her memory alright but that won't justify for being a bitch. Story is so boring and predictable. It's like watching a brat with amnesia and you want to punch her in the head to gain her memory back and so it will finally over.
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bob_bear14 August 2012Throughly enjoyable...except for the f*rt gag...And the f*rt gag is worth mentioning because it was foul.
Otherwise, switch off your brain and enjoy the gorgeous Channing Tatum laugh, cry and bare his beautiful buns -- and all in the name of love.
It's a film that doesn't bear much examination. It's a chick flick with a dumb heroine (why are they always artists???) who wouldn't know love unless it smacked her in the gob...which it eventually does.
The reveal where we find out why she originally changed so radically is like: Oh, get over yourself, girlfriend! The punishment hardly fits the crime...unless you're 12.
But who cares. It's a fairytale. And for me it worked. -
Today I had the opportunity to see a preview of The Vow with my wife.
We both enjoyed the movie, her a little more than me. I was very surprised to learn that this movie is based on actual events, perhaps this was why it was not just another amnesia movie. Therefore not entirely predictable. The struggles seemed a little abbreviated, but genuine. Leo (the husband) had a noticeable lack of grief, even in the most down point.
This is a great example of a couple facing a great difficulty, particularly a husband's love. But it failed to truly pull deep emotion out of me (and I can get choked up pretty easily).
This is appropriate for most teen and up audiences. All intimation of sex are between a married couple. There is full backside nudity of Tatum Channing, but it fits appropriately in the movie.
My last "negative" point is that it seemed slow, particularly at the beginning. Maybe that's because I watched Mission Impossible last night, but nonetheless it sure felt like it.
I would certainly recommend seeing the movie, but it probably will be just as good as a Blu-ray instead of paying $10+ for a movie ticket. -
Love it, a beautiful story an great acting, Channing Tatum has become a good actor. Rachael Mcadams is perfect for this movie. One of the best Valentine Day Movie. This movie made people the the movie theater laugh and cry. Guys take your women to see this movie. Channing Tatum's character (Leo) is trying too woo back the of his life after a car accident take took the memory of his new wife Rachel Mcadams (Paige). She lost the last five year of memory, before she met Leo and when she was engaged too another men, so she now don't know Leo. The movie is told from the perception of Leo, who now have to deal with her estrange family and ex boyfriend
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kayyhayy8911 February 2012The thing about The Vow was very well acted, especially Channing Tatum's character, Leo. It was shown from his side of the story, which is what set it apart from just your other typical romantic comedy. The was compassion, you saw it in McAdams & Tatum's eyes. They had on set chemistry that made you believe and made you feel like you were apart of it It wasn't over the top. People that are trying to compare it to The Notebook doesn't do the movie justice. The Vow is believable, and the fact that it is based on true events, make it even more heart warming. The movie was great from start to finish. People are in for a treat, and that treat is to see a good romantic comedy that isn't like every other one. It stands out.
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kosmasp29 July 2012Seriously: Who would? Even if you know what the story is here, you just know that Channing Tatum would be crazy to leave her. This of course being based on a true story. It does mean that after that incident (or rather accident, that you can feel coming even without knowing about it, but then again, that's the whole selling point of the movie, so even though I don't believe someone might not have heard of the memory loss Rachel's character goes through) we have a very sweet story coming up, where Channing could not be sweeter if tried to, even with one outburst trying to undermine that.
The sacrifices he takes are really big and make Rachels character look almost unsympathetic for being so stone cold most of the time. But of course both actors really deliver on the acting front, so that the movie does convince in the end. One of the better romantic movies, that relies mostly on their two good leads. -
huongvu897 November 2017I'm so not into this type of movie normally . The only genre I watch is comedy but stumbled across it from cleaning my house ( must have given it as a gift ) and what can I say ? It's amazing
Every turn of movie is just real , the interaction and everything ! Felt like the actual scene was right in front of me and I immersed into these beautiful moments with them :)
Yes and I cried on and off the entire movie , don't mind me ! -
DICK STEEL7 April 2012Inspired by real events, the Vow takes a cold hard look at how we are who we are because we're made up of memories that shape our lives, and if taken away from us, we can almost be someone else, because we're robbed of what we had remembered, and from there the experiences drawn that craft our actions and reactions. Not to mention the opportunity to relive and take a different path in choices presented, although what we cannot have is to rewind the ticking biological clock that continues to surge forward.
If five recent years of our lives were to be wiped out and we cannot remember what had transpired, with scant records lying around and even so they don't do squat in jogging our memories, how would we cope, and how would others, especially loved ones or enemies even, cope? There will be frustration as normalcy is slowly eased into a life we never knew, loved ones will be exasperated when we spurn their care and concern because they're strangers to us now, and enemies may find it timely to exact revenge, or take the easy path to reconciliation since we cannot remember what had transpired.
This forms the premise for The Vow, which starts off just as the trailer presented, with married couple Paige (Rachel McAdams) and Leo (Channing Tatum) getting involved in a car accident, and Paige suffering the brunt of the impact because she had her seat belt unbuckled (traffic safety warning so subtly sneaked in). In a comatose state, Paige cannot remember who Leo is after she wakes up, and thus begins the road forward in trying to jolt her back to remembering what would be the best years of their lives in Chicago.
A good part of the film transpires in flashbacks to set the movie firmly in the romance genre, showing how the couple met, their courtship, their marriage and lifestyle, with him still involved in a sunset industry with the setting up of a recording studio, and she pursuing the dream of being an artist much to her parent's disdain in wanting her to become a lawyer. Played by Sam Neill and Jessica Lange, Paige parent's see the chance to reclaim their estranged daughter back into the household which Leo fights tooth and nail against, and Lep's story dwells a lot on this contention on which party should be able to provide the best care - the one with money, or the one with love.
Complication and challenges come from an ex-fiancé (Scott Speedman) who sees it apt to try and woo back his one time love without much effort since in Paige's mind she's still engaged to him, and not married to Leo, and with Paige's automatic drift toward her graduate school days and her friends then, leaving Leo pretty much in the lurch when he decides to tag along just to make sure she's safe.
With the leads having cut their teeth in Nicholas Sparks film adaptations to date with The Notebook and Dear John, both Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum I might add, have what it takes to play lovebird in a romantic film outside of the Sparks series. McAdams nails it playing almost two characters, one spoilt and very much dependent on others, and the other fiercely independent who leads her own life the way she wants to. This causes trouble and pain for Leo, which Tatum to my surprise tackles it quite well, having come from being a dancer to an action star and perhaps now a bona fide romantic lead.
Together they share incredible chemistry that makes you root for their coming back together again somehow, especially with Leo's lofty ideals that wooing his wife all over again will be a walk in the park and a piece of cake since she had done it before and will perhaps do it again, but I guess the harsh reality is that it's never that simple to expand effort and not expect something in return, which in this case expectations built by one does prove to be a bummer when the returns aren't exactly what was planned for, especially with the increasing amounts of cold shoulders, being ignored and witnessing someone carry on their lives as if you don't exist.
What I thought was interesting in the narrative is how it played out almost like a time travel movie, where we're presented the current timeline, that got interrupted and we go back to a past where the couple hasn't met yet, and then from that point tangent off into an entirely new timeline in itself. Moments become a big deal in the film as the monologue narration makes a huge point about the impact that moments can have, and in some ways it's true to life if you reflect upon what makes you, and how you remember events in specific, memorable snapshots.
Released during the Valentine's Day week in the USA and only finding its way to our shores now, The Vow will still pack an emotional punch for couples out there who will likely flock to this like bees to honey, and Kleenex may be the order of the day as well. It's really very standard lovey dovey moments and time spent apart that drives everyone in the film, but just how it played out in the end really served to anchor this with a heavy dose of reality without the need to pander to the general romantic inclinations of how a romantic movie must end. I like possibilities, and The Vow firmly delivered on that promise. -
The movie is blah and pretty boring. There is zero chemistry between the stars. The set director seems to think messy is what an authentic apartment in the city looks like and the whoever was in charge of wardrobe should be made to wear those hideous outfits for the next year.
The only reason this didn't get a one from me is that it really does capture that "hometown in the big city" essence of some of the neighborhoods in Chicago.
The following contains general spoilers, not specifics.
What really turned me off about this movie was that anyone thought this story was inspiring enough to put it on screen. I was shocked when I found out it was based proudly on a real story. Let me tell you I would not want to know the woman who was the inspiration for Paige.
The movie portrayed Paige after the accident, but they don't really show us much of what she as like before the accident. The few glimpses give us the impression that she was a woman who loved life and honored the bond of marriage. I don't buy it. Losing your memory may change things, but, it does not change your underlying personality. Paige didn't turn into a selfish, uncaring _itch. She probably always was one.
A decent woman would have put some effort into recovering her marriage and would have, at the very least, had some respect for the man she was married to. This woman didn't care that she was ripping this poor man's heart out. She cared for no one but herself. At least as far as the movie was concerned, she never gave much thought to anyone but herself. She was, after all, not the only one who was going through a traumatic, life-changing experience and she was not the only one injured in the car crash. If this story is actually true, my heart goes to the woman's real family.
This should never have been immortalized in film. It is the very epitome of the "me" generation.
The best part of the movie for me was when the end credits finally started rolling so we could leave. -
"I vow to help you love life, to always hold you with tenderness, and to have the patience that love demands,"— these are the vows promptly forgotten by a new bride following a tragic car accident. The Vow is everything you would expect from a typical Hollywood romance: eye- candy actors, devastating amnesia, and the art of rediscovering love. Like all sappy love stories, the couple finds themselves in love at first-sight. As expected, it is not long before they have an adorable, spur-of-the-moment wedding in an art gallery. When a devastating car accident leaves star actress, Rachel McAdams, with no memory of her husband, the story begins to unfold in an overtly obvious way. By this time, we all know the rest of the film is going to feature the sculpted Channing Tatum winning his oblivious wife's love all-over again. This film— although falling nowhere short of typical—will undoubtedly tug at a few of your heart strings. With confidence, I can advise all my fellow ladies to grab some tissues to accompany the many tear jerking moments scattered throughout the plot. The story of The Vow seems exceptionally more poignant when it is presented as the sincere, true-story it is based off. In the light of modern cinema having a trend towards violence and negativity, I appreciate the value of a heart-warming sappy love story on occasion; it is the perfect film to be accompanied by a rainy day, a cozy blanket, and a steamy cup of coffee.
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summerloud19 November 2014Based on a (no doubt heavily modified) true story, "The Vow" suffers from the typical Hollywood romance flaws: everyone is way too good looking to be believable, the protagonists are flawless and perfect human beings, and the ending can be seen coming from miles away.
The interesting premise still makes for an above-average movie though, the main actors serve well as eye-candy, and the movie does not possess any unnecessary lengths.
Above average, but if you want to see a really good movie about memories, forgetting, and love, try "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" instead. -
Quietb-114 February 2012The movie doesn't touch you at the right level so you don't cry. It's the kind of story you know how it has to end so you're waiting too long for Paige and Leo to get back together.
The film requires plenty of just go with it. From the "here's a reason to take off my seat belt" to the tap to the back of the car that launches Paige through the windshield, things seemed so written. Add to this Leo showing up in the hospital with a tea shirt cut like, and in the color of scrubs to look like a doctor.
The story about what turned Paige into a rebel complete with tattoo seemed forced. If she was upset with her parents, why didn't she maintain a relationship with her sister?
Good performances make it watchable especially if you don't think too much. Jessica Lange is well past the stage of King Kong bait. No reason to see it in a theater, wait for cable or DVD.