Dear John Writes It In.

Rating: 9/10 (1 May 2015)

Dear John (2010): Dir: Lasse Hallstrom / Cast: Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins, Henry Thomas, Scott Porter: Terrific romance about sincerity. It stars Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried as a love lorn couple who are separated when he goes off to serve in the military and she goes back to school. Well written love story with a little touch of reality in the end. Directed by Lasse Hallstrom with great war footage. Hallstrom previously made such films as The Unfinished Life and Chocolat. His films often deal with affliction from an emotional stand point but this is one of his best efforts. Tatum plays off the grief and frustration of balancing family, relationships and careers. When first seen he is on the beach home visiting without realizing that his yearning to return to combat will be tested. Seyfried glows in her performance as her dedication to Tatum is tested. She has a love for the mentally handicapped that may stem from her inability to express herself correctly. Richard Jenkins steals scenes as Tatum's father who collects coins and suffers from a mental disorder. He is widowed but passes time by cooking for his son who struggles to understand or relate. Henry Thomas factors in as a friend of Seyfried's who has a son with a mental disorder. He comes off as a protective sibling who sees Seyfried as good yet perhaps naive. Scott Porter ends up playing the target of Tatum's fist. He is a friend of the Thomas character and mainly seen as a character of conflict. Great romance that tests the endurance of relationships and those other elements that are worth writing home about. Score: 9 ½ / 10