Unabashedly Romantic and Sentimental. It's Storytelling at its Best

Rating: 10/10 (26 February 2005)

This story plays out as Duke, played by James Garner, reads a story about two young people in the 1940s who fall in love and endure life. The movie moves between present-day and the 1940s. It is structurally very similar to "Fried Green Tomatoes", which is also one of my all time favorite movies.
Unlike "Fried Green Tomatoes", this focuses on young love as it grows and endures through wars and parental dissent. Sure, the core is the "Romeo and Juilet" theme, but the way is plays out and the exceptional charisma that the actors bring to the screen make it feel fresh and not entirely predictable. This is a deeply romantic movie. If you are cynical at all about romance, timeless love and dedication to another person, you may find yourself rolling your eyes a bit. I am not that cynical about the emotional ties that bind us and I was thoroughly taken in by the story.
This is such a gentle movie. The characters are very human and very likable. All of the actors turn in engrossing and compelling performances.
Technically, this movie is exceptional, too. The scenes during the opening credits is absolutely breathtaking. The editing is very good. The story is compelling from the opening credits to the closing credits.
My wife and I don't always share the same perspective on movies, but we agreed on this one. We both loved it immensely. I am certain this will become part of our permanent collection.