Nights In Rodanthe

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Old fashioned romance is the aim here, and on that level, Nights in Rodanthe is an amiable enough watch, with a clichéd and often horribly cheesy script elevated by another excellent Diane Lane performance and some striking scenery. Starting off as something of a family drama, the tone shifts when Lane's character Adrienne, goes to a picturesque guest house by the sea, to mind the place while her mate goes away for a few days. There she meets the sole guest Paul (Gere), a doctor who's dealing with a troubled domestic life himself, and looking to right some past wrongs in his few short days in Rodanthe. But a storm is ah-coming; and nothing makes fledging couples cosy up like a, eh, hurricane. Actually, that's where the film is at its most enjoyable, as the troubled couple forget their family woes and damn well fall in love; and frankly, what's wrong with that? Well, not a lot for large parts of the film, but with the homestretch in sight, it falls apart. Adapted from The Notebook writer Nicolas Spark's novel, you get the impression that it could've been less loyal to its source and worked better as a cinematic outing in the process. Wolfe's direction often fails to transcend the cringeworthy dialogue, with Gere struggling with some particular humdingers. But, not for the first time, Lane actually makes her character not only believable, but sympathetic and likeable - no easy feat given the material she was given. There's also visible chemistry with Gere, as the pair reunite for the first time since Unfaithful. That chemistry, and indeed the relationship angle, will be the reason why most folk will pay to see this and they won't be disappointed. But as with some of Sparks' previous works, he might as well have put a gun to your head and forced you to shed a tear, as the excessive final third feels somehow out of place with all that preceded it. Enjoyable in parts; when it does work, it has its leading lady to thank.