A critic once compared Nicholas Sparks’ brand to that of Marvel’s and Tyler Perry’s (yes, it feels weird to mention the three of them in the same sentence).
While he is not quite as enterprising as the two, if he banks on a couple of stage plays and animated movies he might be able reach their level.
Based on a best selling romance novel of the same name, The Longest Ride is the story of two star-crossed couples from very different worlds and how their fates become intertwined one stormy night after a near fatal accident.
Sounds like the makings of a Nicholas Sparks book—oh, wait.
The Longest Ride stars Clint Eastwood’s doppelganger Scott Eastwood (Fury) as the super macho Luke Collins, a professional and prideful bull rider who falls for Sophia (Britt Robertson), a head strong college student studying art.
The two could not be any more different, but somehow manage to connect because this is a Nicholas Sparks joint and, well, the power of infatuation conquers all. After a brief flirtation at one of his competitions, the two immediately hit it off after a lakeside picnic, Sophia falling for his country boy chivalry.
In this genre of movies there is always some extenuating circumstances keeping the two leads from one another—class differences, cancer, money problems, an easily explained misunderstanding, a dark past. Here, it is revealed that Sophia is planning to leave for New York in a few weeks to pursue an internship.
All intentions of a second date are immediately squashed. To top off their romantic night, by chance, the two come across the scene of a blazing car wreck just in time to save an elderly man and his wicker box of keepsakes.
The movie follows Sophia as she forms a bond with the older man, Ira (Alan Alda). Through his letters to his late wife Ruth and flashbacks to their younger years, we learn that he too had to overcome some Sparks-ian burdens in his relationship.
Throughout the course of the movie—with Ira’s influence echoing the trials of their relationship—Sophia and Luke have to explore whether or not the connection they have is worth sacrificing their lifestyles for. As Ira so poignantly muses on his sickbed, “Love requires sacrifice.”
On its own, it is difficult to believe their story would suffice as a movie you could stomach or stay awake through. It rides on the strength of Ira and Ruth’s journey—pun intended.
Theirs is a love that takes place between the 40’s and 50’s during World War II and feels much more realized and engaging than the modern couple’s relationship. Ultimately, both stories suffer at the expense of one other.
If the two story lines were separate movies instead of an interweaved tale, there would have been much more time to explore the smaller and more intimate details of their relationships in between those monumental romantic bullet points.
In the scheme of things, The Longest Ride is well directed and, although it isn’t particularly stylized, the scenery is captured perfectly. The country-scapes are beautiful, the flash backs are magical. Even all the actors put in commendable performances.
The last bull riding sequence is one of the best yet, showcasing just how truly terrifying and powerful the beasts can be. But mostly, it just proves how many levels of crazy a person would have to be to want nearly 2,000 pounds of seething anger between their legs for eight seconds.
Disregarding how inappropriate that sounds, it is a strange and dangerous profession. However, this thrill isn’t enough to boost this movie’s energy. Clocking in at two hours and twenty minutes, The Longest Ride lives up to its moniker.
It is oddly long for a romance film that many have seen revived at least a dozen if not more times. Fans of Sparks will probably find it a worthy addition to his growing collection of works.
While it is incredibly predictable, as the tired and true saying goes: it’s still a better love story than Twilight. Final summation: catch it on Lifetime in a year or so and keep your money.
Zhana Johnson
Senior Features Editor
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