Cast:Mandy Moore, Shane West, Daryl Hannah, Peter Coyote, Lauren German and Clayne Crawford
Director: Adam Shankman.
Written by Karen Janszen.
Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks.
Running time: 100 minutes.
Rated PG. (for thematic elements, language and some sensual material).
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures

Trailer: Quicktime


Each Spring in the little port town of Beaufort, North Carolina, when the
wind smells of pine and salt and the sea, Landon Carter (Shane West)
remembers his senior year at Beaufort High and Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore),
the girl who changed his life.

Jamie was the last person Landon was likely to fall for. Serious and
conservative, she was as far from cool as she could possibly be, and didn't
care. The daughter of the town's Baptist minister, Jamie was not afraid of
letting people know that her faith was the most important part of her life,
even if it cost her some friends. Landon hung with the in-crowd -- an
aimless, moody, reckless guy who breezed through school on looks and bravado.

He had no plans, no future and no faith in himself.

One night a prank that he and his buddies set up goes wrong and lands a kid
in the hospital. As punishment, Landon - who got caught because he lingered
behind - must tutor a young student at a poor school and participate in the
Drama Club's Spring play - both activities the principal hopes will teach him
some humility. They also happen to throw him into close contact with Jamie.
Clearly in over his head, Landon is forced to ask her for help.
Soon, against his own expectations, Landon finds himself falling in love with
this outwardly plain girl who possesses a passion for life he never imagined
possible. But it isn't easy. Parental disapproval and peer pressure are
against this link-up. Additionally, for reasons of her own, Jamie does
everything she can to run away from romance until it becomes impossible to
deny.

Being together will test everything that they believe in. Most of all, it
will test the power of love and faith to transform a life into something
worth living.

Who would have thought that "A Walk To Remember" would turn out to
be the first pleasant movie surprise of 2002? Sure, it will have its fair
share of detractors who will deride it for what they'll claim is its sappy,
sentimental content it seems like this teary inspirational teen romance is
able to touch a wide number of hearts.

Now I'll admit this is a chick flick (and a possible redemptive date night
for all you guys who have taken your girl/wife into the latest string of gun
shows/computer stores/war movies/action movies). This is a story about what
love could be ... whether you're dating or married.

The movie is extremely predictable, except for one surprise plot twist near
the end, but that does not detract from its appeal to the female audience.
Teenage guys: if you plan on taking your girlfriend to the movies to see "A
Walk to Remember" in some not-so-subtle attempt to prove your sensitive side,
DON'T DO IT! Grow up first, because whatever temporary benefits you may earn
aren't worth the question, "Why can't you be more like Shane West?"

This movie will not make it into my video/DVD collection but I feel it will
be a strong contender for a spot in my wife's collection when it comes out on
video in June. So husbands, boyfriends, if you're looking for a good video
gift for your significant other - this movie could very well fill the bill.


4 out of 5

The Citical Couch Potato