dear jn - an effective tearjerker

Rating: 9/10 (3 March 2011)

I had been going with a very pretty girl from Minnesotta first name, Norma. My best friend, at the time was first name, Donnie. They did not care for one another.
At the Pennsylvania station, before the Army sent me to California, Norma and I got the idea to kiss goodbye at just about every gate. It was tear time.
Time passed.
I was with the Signal Corps and AFRS in Nome when 'it' arrived, the only difference being this was 'dear Frank.' It took me awhile to get over it and I did with the help of a local lovely, Betty. We would have gotten hitched but I was 17 at the time and my mom wrote to my commanding officer 'suggesting' he put the kibosh on that romance.
My eventual first marriage to Beverly didn't work out, but the second one survived - with three kids, five grandkids, and two beautiful great-granddaughters.
So, "Dear John" hit home thanks, in large part, to its two young stars. Personally, I thought Channing captured the personality of the man he portrayed, perfectly. As for Miss Seyfried, she exuded warmth to top off all that cuteness and loveliness. Sigh-h-h.
I must mention that the portrayal of autism was letter perfect, captured, perfectly, thanks to two brilliant portrayals. The script and the old man and little boy helped us understands the trials and tribulations of those who are autistic.
There was much criticism about her decision to marry a man she obviously didn't love. Well, it was her decision. It was not meant to assuage those who thought she erred.
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated this movie.
P. S. I never heard from Norma or Donnie again. My prayer is that they divorced a week after they got hitched. I'd give that plot a fat 10.