Leave your cynicism home and enjoy this movie.

Rating: 8/10 (28 January 2002)

This movie received a poor review in a popular New York tabloid. I'm glad I didn't let that sway me from going to see it and, if you've read the same review, I hope it won't keep you away, either. The two hours flew by and, miraculously, even my seven year old sat through it with nary a trip to the candy stand. Two high school seniors, Jamie Sullivan (a very brunette Mandy Moore) and Landon Carter (Shane West) begin this movie with absolutely nothing in common. Jamie is the Reverend Sullivan's daughter. She's sweet, studious, religious, innocent, keeps to herself, and not only is NOT in the "in group" but seems to have no friends whatsoever in the small town where she and Landon have both lived their whole lives. Landon is street smart, a poor student by design, has doubts about God, dates a fast girl, has a lot of friends. Landon also has a chip on his shoulder because his father, a cardiologist, walked out on Landon and his mother some time before.

The movie begins with Landon and his friends pulling a dirty trick on another classmate involving a jump off a tower. The classmate gets injured. Landon gets caught and is "sentenced" to, amongst other things, joining the cast of a play in which Jamie is also involved. After initially resisting his involvement in the play, he enlists the help of Jamie to learn his part but keeps their relationship, however tenuous, a secret from the rest of his friends. However, his limited exposure to such a sincere, truly good and spiritual person (Jamie's yearbook ambition is to "witness a miracle") does impress him and, indeed, even haunts him. He slowly loses his cynicism about life and people and tries to better himself... all because of her influence, of which she in unaware. In the meantime, he has broken off with his popular girlfriend and she, sensing the growing feelings Landon has for Jamie, sets Jamie up as the butt of a horrendously cruel and very public "joke". Landon comes to her rescue and the romantic relationship between Jamie and Landon begins. And it is truly a beautiful, albeit innocent, one. But Jamie has a secret which clears up, to the viewer, many of the questions they may have about the level of maturity she exhibits which is well beyond her years.

I loved this movie because I would like to believe that it could happen. The depth of love between these two young adults is as perfect a love as could be experienced on this earth. Only a very deep cynic, one who has lost all faith in the possibilities of unconditional love, could write this movie off as "sweet" or "predictable". Don't let that be you.