''Brief Encounter'' and ''Warm Bodies''- Movie reviews

Brief Encounter (1945 movie)- Review

Directed by: David Lean
Released: 1945
Country: United Kingdom

Cast: Celia Johnson, Trevor Howard, Cyril Raymond, Everley Gregg

Genre: Romantic drama

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review

Brief Encounter is a beautiful and touching film about, as the title refers to, a brief encounter. Celia Johnson gives a breathtaking performance, and the film is a deeply moving story of love, pain and guilt.

The first scene of the film takes place at a refreshment room of a train station. The protagonist of the film, Laura, is sitting with a man. A typical small town gossip lady, Dolly, arrives and starts trying to strike up a conversation with Laura. Laura introduces the man as Dr Alec Harvey. Alec leaves the refreshment room as his train has arrived, and some time later, Laura and Dolly also get into their train. It is evident that Laura is troubled and worried.

Upon reaching home, Laura and her husband, Fred, sit in their library. Laura looks at her husband, and then starts thinking about the pain she is in. Just a few weeks ago, her life had been perfect, free from any kind of troubles. But now... a lot has happen in the past few weeks. Laura starts to think of all the incidences that happened in the past weeks.

Every Thursday, Laura goes to shopping and for watching movies, to Milford. One such Thursday, while sitting at the refreshment room of the railway station, she had come across Dr Alec Harvey. Something had gotten into her eyes, and Alec helped her to clean that up. It didn't seem a very memorable incidence, but over the next Thursdays, she and Alec come across each other repeatedly. They go to movies, they take lunch together, they drive around together. As both admit that they are in love, they are both struck with grief because they know that all these cannot last long. They both are married, both have happy families, and Laura feels terrible guilt, knowing that she is cheating on her husband.

Brief Encounter is a painful and emotionally intense film. Celia Johnson is just amazing. Her narration throughout the film makes the film more intense; her description of her sufferings, her pains, her guilt- are all so very memorable. Trevor Howard as Dr Alec Harvey is just as amazing. There are some very memorable scenes, like the scenes where they go for driving. Brief Encounter is the story of a brief encounter, an affair that is destined to end one day because of the people involved in it. It is an excellently acted and directed motion picture.

5 out of 5



Warm Bodies (2013 movie)

Directed by: Jonathan Levine
Released: 2013
Country: United States

Genres: Horror comedy, Romance

Cast: Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer, Rob Corddry, Dave Franco, Aneleigh Tipton, John Malkovich

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review

Warm Bodies is the love story between a human and a paranormal creature. Oh, don't worry, it's not Twilight. Warm Bodies is set at a time when there are so many zombies... the number of the zombies have increased and humans have been forced to abandon the beautiful world where they once lived. They now have to live in special enclaves to remain safe from the zombies.

Our protagonist is a zombie, who doesn't remember his name. He just remembers that his name used to start with an 'R'. He lives a life without any fun or enjoyment, in an abandoned airport, with other zombies. He is the narrator throughout the film, though he can hardly speak.

One day, zombies attack some humans, and R saves one of the humans, Julie. R protects Julie, keeping her in the airplane which he uses as a home. Julie eventually starts to trust R and understands that it is not safe to try to run away now. However soon the other zombies get to know about Julie's presence. They try to attack her, but the sweet relation between R and Julie, brings a strange but wonderful result: the zombies begin getting back life once again.

Now, there are two groups between the zombies: human-like zombies and the skeleton-like zombies, called ''bonies''. The bonies attack the human-like zombies as they are starting to get back life. The human-like zombies realize that they need to team up with the humans to defeat the bonies and make the world peaceful once again. But the humans won't easily understand that they (the human-like zombies) are good. How will Julie and her friend Nora convince the humans that teaming up with the zombies is the only way to defeat the bonies and make the world peaceful once again? 

Warm Bodies is a sweet film and provides smart and effective entertainment. Nicholas Hoult is really sweet as the innocent, awkward zombie protagonist. Teresa Palmer is nice as well, as the female protagonist Julie. The concept itself is very nice.  A memorable scene is the one where Julie meets R in the balcony, a scene similar to a scene of ''Romeo & Juliet''. Among the funny scenes is the scene where Julie pretends to act like a corpse to make the zombies think that she is also a zombie.

While ''Warm Bodies'' may not be an excellent film, it provides real entertainment, and is overall, sweet and worth a watch.

3.5 out of 5 


 

''(500) Days of Summer'' (2009 movie)- Review

Directed by: Scott Neustadter
Released: 2009
Country: United States

Genres: Romantic comedy, Drama

Cast: Joseph Gordon Levitt, Zooey Deschanel, Geoffrey Arend, Chloe Grace Moretz, Matthew Gray Gubler, Clark Gregg

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

Romantic comedy is just not the best genre for me. Once, it had been one of my favorite genres. But after watching such a number of cliched teen rom-coms, the genre is no longer in my 'Favorite Genres' list. But however, now and then I come across such beautiful movies of the genre that, though not bringing back rom-com to it's previous position, leave me with a good feeling, with a smile, or perhaps, at rare occasions, a tear as well. (500) Days of Summer was indeed such a kind of film. It did not feel to me like it was great or something, but yet, it was a feel-good, cheerful, lively film.

Day 488. We see a young man (Joseph Gordon Levitt) and a young woman (Zoey Deschanel) sitting together a bench, looking and smiling at each other. Then follows flashbacks, flashbacks, and flashbacks. The film is not told in a chronological order and shifts among the days between Day 1 of Tom's meeting summer to Day 488 (We only see Day 500 in the last scene).

Tom (Levitt) waits for the perfect girl of his life. Summer (Deschanel), on the other hand, believes that there is no such thing as love. The two work at the same office. Tom's job is to make greeting cards, despite having studied architecture in college. The two meet and become friends, and eventually start a relation, though, as Summer suggests, they are just friends.

The film shifts between time periods. At one period, we see the blossoming relationship between Tom and Summer. At the other, we see Tom and Summer have broken up and Tom managing to deal with the stress and the sorrow that has followed. The two time periods and situations are mixed together, one showing Tom as a happy young man in love, and the other showing Tom as the broken man after the end of relationship.

The screenplay is very well written. The shifting between the days is done remarkably. I also liked the Expectation vs Reality scene. One of the most memorable scenes in the film was the dance  by Joseph Gordon Levitt, because of his happiness of finally finding a girl whom he thinks perfect and suitable for him, and whom he loves, and he dances with joy, and imagines all the pedestrians dancing with him as well (and there is also an animated bird in this dance scene!). It was a perfectly delightful and excellently-written scene.

Joseph Gordon Levitt is one of my favorite actors. He is charming and an excellent actor. In every scene in this film, he performs excellently. He brings the character to life! Zoey Deschenal is excellent as well. And Chloe Grace Moretz... she is one of my favorite young actresses. Mortez plays Tom's sister Rachel. Despite being so young, it is always Rachel who gives Tom advises and tips about relationships. Moretz also gave an excellent performance, though she plays a relatively small supporting role.

The romance is sweet, and the two lead actors bring their respective characters to life. It is written well, acted well, directed well, and indeed, a refreshing and sweet romantic comedy film.

4 out of 5

''When Harry Met Sally...'' (1989 movie)- Review

Directed by: Rob Reiner

Released: 1989

Country: United States

Main cast: Meg Ryan, Billy Crystal, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby, Steven Ford

Genres: Romantic comedy, Drama

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Review

Harry Burns and Sally Albright first meet while sharing a drive to New York from Chicago. Harry is the boyfriend of Sally's friend Amanda. They don't get along very well. Harry comments that men and women can never be friends, because sex always gets on their way. Sally disagrees. Upon reaching New York, they part their ways, because according to Harry, they cannot be friends.

Five years later, Harry and Sally meet for the second time. Sally is in a relationship, and Harry will be getting married soon.

Five more years later, they meet again. Both are single now... Sally's relation with Joe ended, and Harry and Helen are divorced. Harry and Sally become best friends, with both of them sharing everything with each other, talking on phone late into the night, going here and there, taking meals together. But will they always be able to remain friends, or will it turn into a romantic relation one day?

Their story is told with sudden interruptions, where elderly couples reveal how they had met, how they had fallen in love, how they had got married, and how their love has lasted over the decades.

Nora Ephron's screenplay was extraordinary. The dialogues are witty, the situations are humorous. Near the end, the situations does get a bit serious, but however, the humorous part remains active all the time! Harry and Sally are both remarkable characters. Both are funny and sweet. 

So many hilarious scenes, it would be difficult to mention all of them! One of the funniest scenes was Sally faking an orgasm (and the epic dialogue that follows: ''I'll have what she's having!''). When Jo is going to get married and Sally calls Harry, and she's crying, and taking a tissue paper one after another, that scene was also extremely funny. There are many touching and emotional scenes as well, for example, the ending, and many scenes throughout the film. And then there are the colorful sceneries, backgrounds, and the pleasant background music.

When Harry Met Sally is a lovely and refreshing film. Romantic comedy as a genre is extremely tired, and this is one of the examples of great films in this genre. Rob Reiner's direction is excellent. Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal also give excellent performance. And there is Nora Ephron's screenplay. These make it an excellent film.

4.5 out of 5

''The Skin I Live In'' (2011 movie)- Review

Directed by: Pedro Almodovar
Released: 2011
Country: Spain

Genres: Drama, Sci-Fi, Psychological thriller, Horror

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
  
Review

Ah, Pedro Almodovar, you are amazing. The Skin I Live In is meant to be a psychological thriller. The result is a blend between thriller, horror, drama, and sentiments. While chiefly a thriller, it also touches sentimental aspect, though there is no melodrama. The Skin I Live In is a haunting film,  a disturbing story told beautifully, with an excellent presentation and screenplay.

Robert Ledgard (Antonio Banderas) is a plastic surgeon and is successful in face transplantation. He comes up with a new idea, about skin that are resistant to insect bites, burns, etc. He is, however, forbidden to go on with this experiment.

But however, secretly, Ledgard has kept a young woman, Vera, hidden in his home. He is testing that very idea on Vera. Vera is kept hidden in a room of his house. She can't get out. The only people who know about her existence are Ledgard and his servant, Marilia. 

One day, an odd man wearing a tiger costume arrives in the house. He is actually Marilia's son, Zeca. Marilia tries her best to get rid of him. She cannot let anyone get a hint about Vera. However, Zeca discovers Vera, and then after breaking into her room, rapes Vera. However, Robert soon arrives and kills Zeca.

Marilia reveals to Vera the tragic past of Ledgard, about the suicides of both of his wife and his daughter. From that time, Vera and Robert seemingly fall in love and Robert is promised that they will be no more locked doors in future.

And then... there is flashbacks... We are shown everything of the past. Of what exactly had happened to Robert's wife and daughter. And who Vera actually is. A tale of suicides, revenges, mistakes, desperation, and terrible results of revenge.

The back story is shocking. Just shocking. It was like... a bolt from a blue! I mean, it is kind of a twist. And the background is told so beautifully, and often disturbingly.

The first hour of this film is spent with introductions. We are introduced to the characters, the situation. But we have no questions about who Vera actually is, how Vera is related to Ledgard's tragic past.  She just seems an innocent girl, an innocent victim of Ledgard's experiments.  The next part is the flashbacks, the background. The flashbacks answer the unasked questions. Ah, my mouth dropped open with surprise! Each of the back stories were so fascinating and shocking.  I'll say no more about this part!!! The last part... well, I better not say anything about that! 

Antonio Banderas is excellent as Ledgard. Elena Anaya, as Vera, delivers a strong performance as well. With strong performances, excellent concept, and an extraordinary screenplay this is a splendid film. It was so haunting, so amazing, so memorable. The last scene almost brought tears to my eyes!! Almodovar, salutes to you!

4.5 out of 5



 

''V for Vendetta'' (2005 movie)- Review

Directed by: James McTeigue
Released: 2005
Country: United Kingdom

Genres: Action, Fantasy, Thriller, Mystery, Crime

Cast: Natalie Portman, Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, John Hurt, Stephen Fry

Rating: 4 out of 5

Review

V for Vendetta is a thoroughly entertaining and energetic film- I'm speechless. It impressed me. A lot. I mean, it's such a fast-paced, well-made film! I just had to stare at the screen because it was so... AMAZING!

Set in a near future, V for Vendetta depicts the world as a chaotic place. Most of the nations of the world are in a state of great turmoil, but only the United Kingdom prevails. But it prevails with cruelty, intolerance, oppression, under the leadership of a dictator, Chancellor Sutler. 

Evey Hammond is a regular, normal young woman who one evening goes out for some chore. But there's a curfew. The ''Fingermen'' secret police stop her. There is something wrong in their intentions. Evey, searching for a way to escape, becomes helpless. However, she is soon rescued by a mysterious person, covered in black clothes and wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. 

Portman and Weaving in ''V for Vendetta''

Evey spends some time with the mysterious masked man, who, in front of her eyes, destroys the Old Bailey. Known simply as ''V'', he is apparently a vigilante. He wants to make the country peaceful again. He wants to give the people a peaceful life, a life without the oppression, without the the cruelty, without the intolerance, that they are leading now. His past, related to a detention camp, is revealed in course of the film.

Meanwhile, the police looks for both the masked man and also Evey- because she was seen with V during the destruction of the Old Bailey. Meanwhile, taking over the television, V calls for the citizens to revolt on the 5th of the November, the next Guy Fawkes Day. Police are looking everywhere for V. It is the strict command of Sutler. But V has his own genius hiding place and method. And he also protects Evey- who is suspected of having connections with V and his plans.

What follows are revelations, surprises and V's work on the revolution...

The film was extremely energetic and attractive. Natalie Portman is touching and effective as ever. Hugo Weaving never shows his face, he always remains hidden behind the mask, but nevertheless gives a superb performance. Stephen Rea as the inspector was also fascinating. John Hurt's role as the antagonist is significant but his appearances are mostly brief so it doesn't get much deep. Imogen Poots is present as Valerie, a small role with no speaking lines, but nevertheless is memorable.

Some scenes are very memorable. The last scene, as an example. Also, the scene when there is rain in the rooftop, and parallel is drawn between Evey and V (the time when V had been burning because of the terrible fire at the detention camp) is also quite memorable.

V for Vendetta is overall a memorable movie. The fight scene near the end seemed slightly illogical but it was okay, on the whole. With excellent performances, superb scores, and a wonderful script (based on a graphic novel Alan Moore and David Llyod), V for Vendetta is indeed a must watch.

UPDATE: 2013 movie goals

I had made a list with six movies, but now I've come up with another title. Here is the complete list.

1. Gone with the Wind
2. La Dolce Vita
3. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
4. Ben-Hur
5. Pulp Fiction
6. The Tree of Life
7. 2001: A Space Odyssey 

''Ikiru'' (1952 movie)- Review

Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
Released: 1952
Country: Japan

Genres: Drama

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

Review

Life is beautiful. And a purpose is needed to realize this beauty of life. Without a purpose in life, how can one understand the real reason life is for? If one spends his life doing his work without pleasure, without a purpose, then isn't it a great injustice `to his life? Life is brief. We need to make the best use of this small time by having a purpose to live our life.

The protagonist of Ikiru, Watanabe-San (Takashi Shimura) is Section chief of Public Affairs at the city hall. He has been doing this job for thirty years. He has not been leading his life. Instead, it seems that he has just been passing his time. There is no pleasure, no purpose, in the work he does and the life he leads. After his wife's death, twenty years ago, he has done all he can for his son. But in return, he gets absolutely nothing from his son and daughter-in-law, who are rather interested in his pension money.

Then one day, Watanabe-San learns that he has stomach cancer. And just then, he comes to understand how he had spent thirty years with absolutely no pleasure and no purpose. And then, he decides to reclaim those thirty lost years of his life. He begins to start looking for a purpose in his life just at the time he realizes that he has not much time left.

He looks for solutions, he looks for the ways by which he can make up for the time he has lost, the time he has spent without any pleasure. And finally, he finds a purpose in life through his work. He undertakes the initiative to transform a cesspool, filled with mosquitoes, into a children's park.

The main concept of the film is itself so very beautiful. We just sometimes don't realize how beautiful life can be. We just have to look for the ways which can make our life meaningful. A purpose in life is absolutely necessary. A purpose, an initiative. We need pleasure in the work that we do. 

A very memorable thing in the film is, when Watanabe-San understands that he needs to have a real purpose to make up for the lost thirty years, when he undertakes the initiative to construct the park, the ''happy birthday'' tune is played at the background. This thing is indeed very symbolic. The ''happy birthday'' tune indicates that at last, after thirty years, Watanabe-san has found a purpose. He may have just five months left, but yet, these five months will give him the pleasure that thirty years couldn't give him.

A harsh thing that is showed is Watanabe-san's son's attitude towards him. After his wife had died, Watanabe-san did everything he could do for his son. The flashbacks show Watanabe-San cheering for his son at a game, and comforting his son before a surgery. And now, the son for whom he toiled his whole life, doesn't even pay respect to him.

Takashi Shimura is an excellent actor. The feelings of Watanabe-San is brought to life by him. The pain, the regret of the character is very well portrayed.

Ikiru is an inspirational film about life, that how purpose is so important to make our lives beautiful, peaceful, meaningful. Beauty is present in our life, we just need to have a purpose and pleasure to realize that our life is beautiful.

4.5 out of 5

Movie goals of 2013

I know, I'm making this list in July- half of 2013 has already gone by, and I've made up my Goals list in this month?!?

Actually, I've been planning on this list for a long time. And finally, I've come to the conclusion to have these six movies in my ''Goals'' list. (I hope to watch these six great movies this year!).

Despite being a crazy movie lover for a long time, I'm surprised  after thinking about how many great movies I haven't seen yet. I haven't seen Citizen Kane. However, I won't be listing that in my 2013 Goals List because I want to be more experienced and more skilled before I watch this movie, often considered to be the greatest movie ever.

Anyways, enough talking for now. The six movies that I'm planning that I must watch in 2013 are:

1. Gone with the Wind
2. La Dolce Vita
3. The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
4. Ben-Hur
5. Pulp Fiction
6. The Tree of Life

''The Bridge on the River Kwai'' (1957 movie)- Review

Directed by: David Lean
Released: 1957
Country: United States , United Kingdom

Genres: War, Drama, Adventure

Main cast: William Holden, Alec Guinness, Jack Hawkins, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald

Rating: 4.5 out of 5
 
Review

Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson is a stubborn and firm character, and so is his rival, Colonel Saito. David Lean's The Bridge on the River Kwai, is set during the World War II in a Japanese camp for prisoner-of-wars. This is not a violent war film; the war violence is really mild and the overall presentation is not violent at all, yet it is an intense film, and sometimes, overpowering.

Colonel Saito (Sessue Hayakawa) has the orders to complete a bridge by a due date. He orders all the prisoners, including even the officers, to work on the bridge. But Lieutenant Colonel Nicholson (Alec Guinness) says that employing officers in such manual labor is strictly prohibited. But Colonel Saito is stubborn and firm in his decision. And so is Nicholson. And when Nicholson orders his officers not to join in the work, Saito keeps them all (including Nicholson) locked up.

But as mentioned, Nicholson can be extremely stubborn as well. He won't give up his decision. And finally, after a rather long time, Saito agrees, because he has to complete the bridge in time. And if such inconvenience and disagreement continues, there would be more and more delay on the work.

Meanwhile, Commander Shears (William Holden) manages to escape from the camp. Soon, he manages to arrive in Ceylon. There, Major Warden asks him to help them to destroy the bridge that is being built. And after some hesitation, Shears agrees. 

On the other hand, in the camp, Nicholson is working wholeheartedly and co-operating with Saito to build the bridge. And he is working with all his spirits. When asked by someone why he is working so hard on the bridge, Nicholson says that he wants to prove to the Japanese that they will never be able to break the spirits of the British. And one day, after the war, when trains will run over the bridge, people will know that the bridge was made by British soldiers, not by slaves of a prisoner-of-war camp.

The hard work of the prisoners in building the bridge, and the mission of Major Warden, Shears and the others with them, to destroy the bridge- is shown together, is merged together. The adventures of Warden and Shears and the others with them is very well told through the well-created situations and beauty, remarkable cinematography, locations, and score.

The very first scene, where a prisoner-of-war bribes a Japanese Commander so that the latter enlists him as sick (so that he doesn't have to participate in the constant manual labor), made me really very interested in the film. There was something so very remarkable about the storytelling, that it became very engrossing. So excellently acted and written and directed, the film sometimes can become overpowering. It remains engrossing throughout. One of the most memorable scenes is  the scene after Colonel Saito changes his mind. The joy of the prisoners after hearing this declaration was so beautiful, so well-written. The climax is slightly disturbing yet can be so very emotional and intense!

Alec Guinness does justice to the character. The stubbornness, the firm determination of the character, all these are really very well-acted by Guinness. Also remarkable are William Holden, Jack Hawkins and Sessue Hayakawa.

The Bridge on the Rivers Kwai was an engrossing film throughout. Not my favorite war film, but I did love it.

4.5 out of 5
 

''Goodfellas'' (1990 movie)- Review

Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Released: 1990
Country: United States

Genres: Biographical crime drama

Main cast: Ray Liotta, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Sorvino, Chuck Low, Frank Vincent

Rating: 5 out of 5

Review

Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas tells the story of mobster Henry Hill's life. A great screenplay, performances and Scorsese's great directorial talent makes the film an absolute masterpiece! 

The opening scene shows three men driving, when something makes a noise. They get out of the car and check the trunk of the car, where there is a bloodied man (who apparently the three men in the car have beaten in this way).  The men comment that the man hasn't died yet, and then, umm, make sure that he is died. Then the protagonist, Henry Hill, narrates that he had always wanted to be a gangster.

A flashback shows us the teenage life of Henry Hill. Leaving school, Hill starts working for the Luchesse crime family. And he soon gets close to Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro), a feared mobster, and over time, he has a blooming criminal career. The film focuses both on the personal and professional life of Henry Hill, including violence, crimes, robberies, love, adultery.

The actors do a great job. Ray Liotta, as Henry Hill, gives a particularly splendid performance.  From the beginning to end, Liotta gives a performance so great that brings the character to life. The ambitions and reactions of the characters are very well portrayed by Liotta.

Among the supporting characters, a memorable performance is given by Joe Pesci. Pesci plays Tommy, one of the most memorable characters from the film. Tommy is hot-tempered and violent. Robert De Niro is amazing as always! Lorraine Bracco, as Henry's wife Karen, is VERY memorable as well. Bracco brings into life the feelings of the character: the love and constant worry for her dear husband, the anger and sorrow after coming to know of her husband's extra-marital affair, and her will to forgive her husband so easily. Overall, the characters are very well written and portrayed.

The screenplay, by Martin Scorsese and Nicholas Pileggi, is based on the book ''Wiseguy'' by Pileggi. The screenplay is VERY excellent as well. The violence, the dialogues, the humor here and there- are all very mentionable. The violence is frequent but does not get disturbing.

I LOVED this film because it was so excellently-written, directed and acted! It is a fast-paced and enjoyable film and is a must watch! Amazing film!

5 out of 5

''Safe Haven'' (2013 movie)- Review

Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Released: 2013
Country: United States
 
Main cast: Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel, Cobie Smulders, David Lyons, Mimi Kirkland, Noah Lomax, Irene Ziegler

Genres: Romantic drama, Mystery

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Review

I must say that after coming across several negative reviews of this film I thought that it may not be a satisfactory film. In spite of that, I decided to watch this film because I had absolutely loved the original novel by Nicholas Sparks. And I must say that I wasn't disappointed with this film. I wasn't at all disappointed with this film. It may not be an excellent film, it may have qualities of chick flicks, but however, I liked this film.

Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, the style of storytelling in the film has a difference from the original novel. However, I really liked the alterations. I try NEVER to judge a film based on how much accuracy it has with the novel it is based on. Therefore, though the style of storytelling is altered and different, the film itself is beautiful. Not excellent, but yes, really nice.

A mysterious woman named Katie (Julianne Hough) arrives in a small fishing town. There, she becomes friends with a store owner, Alex, and also becomes close to his little daughter, Lexie.  Katie also become close with her neighbor, Jo (Cobie Smulders). 

Slowly, Alex and Katie fall in love. In course of the film, Katie's background is revealed. Her real name is Erin. She has run away from her abusive husband, Kevin, and has taken a false name and false identity. When Alex comes to know about this, he decides to help and protect Katie. 

However, Kevin cannot forget Katie. He takes all efforts to find Katie, to take his wife back home. What happens? How can Katie hide from her abusive husband? Will Katie and Alex able to find peace through their love?

Julianne Hough's performance as Katie is really excellent. Josh Duhamel and Cobie Smulders also give remarkable performances. Another aspect that requires special mention is the background music. I was highly impressed by the background music. From the beginning to the end, the score kept amazing me, because it was very pleasant and beautiful.

The screenplay is also pretty good. As I mentioned before, there are several differences in the storytelling from the original novel. And I really appreciated the style of storytelling. The twist at the end is very well portrayed and the ending was really wonderful! However, I must say that the climax is slightly altered and has much less suspense than that of the original novel. 

Overall, I thought it was a good movie. I didn't love it, but I did like it. Sometimes, I was indeed slightly disappointed because of *a few* of the differences in the storytelling, I liked the overall movie.

3.5 out of 5