Great movie of faith and perseverance!

Rating: 8/10 (1 March 2007)

This movie was directed by Adam Shankman, and takes place in a typical high school setting. However unlike the setting there is one character that stands out from the others; her name is Jamie Sullivan played by Mandy Moore. To name a few reasons, she is the only daughter of the reverend Sullivan who loves his daughter and wants the best for her. Jamie is a plain dressed eighteen year old in her senior year at high school diagnosed with Lukemia. Quietly making the decision to move on, she involves herself in plays and extra curricular activities at school. She also volunteers at another school tutoring lids, spending time with them working patiently and adamantly. Confident in her abilities and content at her position in her life she then meets Landon Carter played by Shane West. Landon Carter is a complete opposite of Jamie. He is one of the "In Crowd"- the crowd which every student wants to be associated with. Just to be able to walk with the crowd makes the student cool in there eyes through acceptance in others by association. Unlike Jamie, Landon drives a nice car and doesn't care about others. Landon is apathetic about the future and cares not for anyone below his level of society. When Landon is forced to do community service at school, he runs into Jamie. They each have two very different lives and yet the same misunderstandings about each other. All throughout the movie they are confronted with each ones' personalities and differences. On of the punishments of Landon's for trespassing and underage drinking is to be a part of the school play, and before he knows it he is cast as the lead character in the play along with Jamie. In the play Jamie is Landon's mysterious stranger, who before his very eyes becomes his joyful angel and his passion. With a scripted kiss, Landon realizes that Jamie is no longer an insignificant nobody, but someone worth getting to know. With new clarity Landon sees others as Jamie has always seen them, as other people living the same life as he does: the same likes and dislikes, the same struggles and goals, plus the poisoning of the "In Crowd" and its affect on others.
The turn of Landon's life around the corner of ignorance was Jamie Sullivan in all her quiet Christ-like persistence and faith. What he could call his friends in the past could not compare to his new found friendship with Jamie. Unlike before, Landon can be himself. Around Jamie, Landon is set free.
The movie's plot is the changing for the better Landon's life and the obstacles of high school. Ironically the title is about Jamie's faith and walk through life setting an example for others. Jamie quoted "Without suffering there would be no compassion", explaining to Landon her faith and reasoning. Throughout the movie, shots of Landon started off being above in and out shots, noting him as one of the big dogs at school. As the movie progressed the shots became more and more lowered showing himself lowered in his own eyes. The in and out shots focused on Jamie were usually close up and intimate outlining her facial expressions and reactions to each scene. Natural light was used to warm the scenes and give them a realistic effect, and spotlights along with stage lighting were used for the play scene and shots setting aside the play and marking it apart from the movie for effect. I like this movie for it's character and it's story of faith and change in one's life. This movie speaks to me of heart and hope... hope that there is more out there and that through other we can be strengthened and lifted up when we ourselves can't see past our own faults.