The Choice is formulaic and lazy writing

Movie Title:       The Choice

Grade:   C-

Rating:   PG-13, 1 hour 49 minutes

In a Nutshell:    My husband says that the definition of a Chick Flick is when two good-looking guys fall all over themselves for one spoiled girl.  If that’s true, then this is definitely a Chick Flick, although not a very good one.

One of the obvious choices in this formulaic movie isn’t just which guy to choose, but there are several others.  

Uplifting theme: 

• “Life just keeps unfolding.  If you sit still, it’ll pass you by altogether.” – Gabby (Teresa Palmer)
• “Life is held together by choices – all sizes.” – Gabby
• “Opportunity is missed by most people, because it’s dressed up in overalls and looks a lot like work.” – Thomas Edison, as quoted by Shep (Tom Wilkinson)
• “Every path you take leads to another choice.” – Travis (Benjamin Walker)

Things I liked:

• Most of the movie takes place lakeside with beautiful views.
• Cute puppies!
• Teresa Palmer looks like the All-American girl next door.
• Nicholas Sparks tries to add depth to his romantic stories.  His most recent tale-turned-Chick-Flick was “The Longest Ride.”  You can see my movie review of that film here.  That film did it much better than this one.
• If you’re thinking about cheating on your boyfriend, you’ll see what a two-timer feels like.
• There’s a funny proposal scene.

Things I didn’t like:

• Everything about this movie is clichéd, even the clothing.  For example, he wears a tank top to show off his muscles and she wears a white t-shirt in the rain.
• A lot of movie critics are begging Nicholas Sparks to stop writing such cheesy love stories that then get turned into sappy movies.
• Benjamin Walker drinks bottles of beer in a weird way.  I know that seems nit-picky, but it bugged me.
• They try to have clever chit-chat, but it comes out forced and predictable.  The actors look like they’re acting.
• SPOILER ALERT:  A happy ending is an easy out.  The harder ending would have been to write something more interesting.
• Both Travis and Gabby are too cocky for my taste.  They fight and bicker from the very first moment they meet, which is a clichéd, although not appealing, form of flirtation.
• What kind of character does a girl have who jumps in bed with another guy when her boyfriend has only been gone a few days on a business trip?  Does true love excuse lack of integrity or morality? Um...nope.

Funny lines:

•  “What are you doing?” – Gabby

“Walking towards you real slow.” – Travis

“Why?” - Gabby

“Cause if I ran, I’d scare you.”  - Travis

• “Mama, he’s a walking cautionary tale.” - Gabby

Interesting lines:

• “Has anyone ever said no to you?” – Gabby

“No.” – Travis

“Then, I’m making history.” - Gabby

• “Your friends, family…that’s all you can count on in this world.  That’s what I believe.” – Travis
• “I kind of fell into the Bible.  He wanted to burn it.” – Shep
• “If you see a man sleeping on the cold floor, there’s sure to be a pretty woman nearby.” – Shep
• “There’s no shame in being a broken man.  I should know. You just pick up the pieces and start rebuilding.” – Shep
• “That’s all any woman wants…a man who’s going to fight.”   (for her)  - Monica (Alexandra Daddario)

Tips for parents:   

• Girls falling out of their bikini tops.
• One girl flips the bird.
• Some profanity.
• Two people jump in bed together on their very first date.
• Take the opportunity to talk to your family about “Do Not Resuscitate” orders.