Watch Dear John For Free

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Lasse Hallström, the Swedish director who gave us Chocolat (2001), Gilbert Grape (1993) and Hachi: A Dog's Tale (2009) is at it again - making chick flicks for guys. This means, unlike your stereotypical chick flick whose leading man is a hollow beefcakey stud with as much personality as the scenery, here we get a complex beefcakey stud whom the chicks can swoon over whilst the bros say "duuuuude he's cool."In this case the protagonist is "John" (Channing Tatum) who plays an Army Special Forces character who can kill you with a toothpick but has total control over his emotions. Until, of couse, he meets "Savannah" (Amanda Seyfried) over his 2 week furlough before going back to war.As you might guess, the story explores the ultimate long distance relationship as John completes his 1 year tour as a soldier while Savannah waits at home. Sounds boring? Well wait, there are complications. John's father is autistic and his mother abandoned them years ago. So John is forced to be the responsible one, but the whole war/love thing throws him out of whack.Meanwhile Savannah has a few secrets of her own (and I gotta admit I totally didn't see it coming). And on top if it all, 9/11 hits and this forces John to make a decision whether to stay with his platoon and most likely get his butt blown off, or retire once his initial tour is over. Oh, and the movie begins with John getting blasted by gunfire, meaning the story unfolds in a huge flashback leaving us wondering the whole time if John dies or not.This is a very sentimental flick, much like the other Hallström movies I mentioned, but it doesn't get sappy or predictable. In fact at least 3 plot twists took me by total surprise. And I'm talking like "whoa duuuuude I never saw THAT coming" surprise."Dear John" focuses on interpersonal relationships when duty comes into play - and I'm not just talking about duty toward your country (a cleverly woven parallel), but duty to parents, children and those who need help. This is juxtaposed against selfish happiness, or the storybook love. Pay close attention to the characters' choices & sacrifices, and how these choices are based on duty/selflessness rather than "getting the girl". I think that's what makes this a unique romance. Whereas most Hollywood romance flicks focus on the problems of 2 lovers, "Dear John" presents us with an ideal love that is complicated by external loyalties.The trademark of Hallström movies is some other issue (not just love) driving the characters, and that's why these films aren't sappy or predictable. Another trademark is is use of gorgeous scenery, in this case the beaches of Charleston SC. He achieves a very nostalgic beach feeling, even for those of us who have only been to the beach once or twice in our lives (see also his film "Safe Haven" filmed in Southport, NC)."Dear John" is a quiet, sentimental film, so don't expect action, car chases & robots. But it delivers a few tricky plot twists, so it's never boring. If you're not familiar with Hallström's style, I'd say it's artistic without being over-the-top artsy. Think of Kieslowsky (Blue, White, Red trilogy) or Wim Wenders (Paris Texas, Wings of Desire) or possibly even Steven Soderbergh (Sex Lies & Videotape, Solaris, Magic Mike) and you'll have a general idea of how this film feels.

The story of the movie is extremely good. Sparks also showed the skill in this case. Still, I can not say that I liked this almost two hours. According to me, the main and serious lack of performance occurs when John receives a letter from Savannah that she believes. This is something that in my opinion the whole movie was taken in one direction that is completely wrong. First, I can not imagine that you love someone and you believe in the other way you have sworn in love. Second, more importantly. I'm sure it would be absolutely unrealistic to expect that they will be together after its release. Let's not forget, the two of them decided to return to the field and practically she betrayed him at the moment when he needed it most. As hard as it was, it was harder for him. He is a soldier, whose head was in his bag every day. Every letter from her, for him was the light in total darkness and chaos. It would be much better if the film was made to follow their common story while it is on one side of the earth, and it is on the other. And so until the final merger. There was room to do something like that and make a story that is happening in reality. Music in the movie is extraordinary. The movie would surely have gotten a much higher rating, only that the action was first found in the last third of the film.7,1/10

OK, I read the book which was good but not great. After reading the book the movie is outright horrible. I don't even know I would understand what was going on in the movie if I hadn't read the book.The movie gets so many things from the book wrong - the characters, pivot points, key scenes and it does so in a ridiculous way. Add to this the terrible acting of Channing Tatum and the guy that plays Tim, and even Savannah and you get a mess.Some of the WTFs from the movie. Tim is Alan's father in the movie. WTF? Tim plays an awkward, ridiculous nice man whereas he is a confident, manly but still nice in the book. It is not shown and is unclear the previous relationship of Savannah and Tim. How Tim has always loved Savannah without her knowing. The character of John in the movie is such a pussy, especially the way he acts. The time-line seems to be a few months rather than years. In these few months Savannah marries Tim because he was sick? and he needed her? WTFThis could have been a slightly worse than an OK movie had I not read the book, but after the book its just horrible.

After having read the book I did not want to see the movie, because I really did enjoy the book a lot. The movie was different from the book, but that is common when making books into movies. I did think that it was a good movie, but not my favorite. The movie is about a solider, John, who meets a girl, Savannah, while he is home from the war. They meet and spend two weeks together and fall in love. They seem to be perfect for one another. He then has to go back to active duty, but the two continue their relationship through letters. At home John's father has dementia and forgets many things, and it frustrates John. Savannah is very good with his father, and that is something that John loves about her. Savannah has a close friend, who she ends up marrying, Tim, who has cancer and Tim's brother, Alan, has Autism. All of these relationships are shown throughout the movie, and you are able to watch how they change as life events such as 9/11, deaths and deployment occur. I believe that a purpose of this film, and the message that this movie tried to convey was that you cannot take anything or anyone for granted. I believe that this movie really did a great job of conveying that. John took his father for granted, and when he eventually passed away he regretted being mean to him and not spending enough time with him. When 9/11 happened it showed how everyone took for granted how safe and protected our military truly keeps us. As for those in the movie that played the roles of people with disabilities, I believe that they were portrayed well. Tim, Savannah's husband who eventually was diagnosed with cancer showed how that can affect everyone in that persons life. Now he, Tim, relied heavily on Savannah to take care of Alan who has Autism. I think that Richard Jenkins did a great job portraying someone with dementia. It allowed the viewer to see how that person does not realize that they have memory loss, and also showed how frustrating and stressful it can truly be on relatives and those that are close to that person. I do recommend this movie to people who are interested. If you have already read the book, just be aware that it is not exactly the same, but it is still good in its own way.