DEAR JOHN

US, 2010, 105 minutes, Colour.
Channing Tatum, Amanda Seyfried, Richard Jenkins, Henry Thomas.
Directed by Lasse Hallstrom.

The title sets the tone, the Dear John letters and their emotions. The opening of the film seems to confirm this as the wounded John (Channing Tatum) speaks a voiceover of a letter about what came into his mind before he lost consciousness. We make assumptions about the letter which are not correct. In fact, there are some pleasing dramatic twists in the plot reminding us that we always think this kind of romantic movie is quite predictable. In many ways, of course, it is. But this one is not quite as predictable as we might think.

It is based on a novel by the very popular best-selling author, Nicholas Sparks. Film versions of his novels include Message in a Bottle, A Walk to Remember, The Notebook and Nights in Rodanthe. If you know those films and his books, you know that you are expecting to see a love story, some sadness and, definitely, some tears.

Dear John fulfils the expectations exactly – unless you are one of those who so loves the novel that no version can do it justice. What helps Dear John to be so entertaining and sad for its niche audience is the direction from Lasse Hallstrom who has shown over the years that he can do classily-crafted emotional films (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Cider House Rules, Chocolat, Hachi: a Dog's Tale).

Channing Tatum's performances are usually of the solid (stolid-looking) young American who is a bit inarticulate though ready to fight. What we see here is his transformation from that type to a man more in touch with his inner self and his feelings. This happens on two levels. He falls for a young woman after diving into the water to retrieve her bag which she had dropped. They click, especially on the level of friendship which deepens into love. She is Savannah and is played by Amanda Seyfried. However, John is a Green Beret and has to go back to service. They begin a series of letters.

The path of true love certainly does not go in the expected direction here which gives more edge to the story.

But, it is on the other level that Dear John is so moving. It is John's relationship with his father. Dad is played by that excellent character actor, Richard Jenkins (Oscar-nominated for The Visitor). He does not communicate with his son very well and is reserved with everyone. Savannah, who lives next door to a friend (Henry Thomas) who cares for his autistic son, realises that the father, with his exact cooking routines and with his meticulous care of his extensive coin collection is also autistic. While John cannot accept this, it makes a lot of sense to the audience and is a reminder that many adults who are dismissed as odd or impossible may actually be autistic. (The six year old son is played by an actual autistic boy.)

There are some moving letters eventually from John to his father.

Obviously, this kind of film is made for a special audience, those who like to be moved by sentiment and emotional stories. Dear John fulfils those conditions, which means that anti-sentiment audiences should keep far away.

1. The novels of Nicholas Sparks? His readership? The many books, the film adaptations? Emotional, sad, love?

2. The South Carolina settings, the town, the beach, the farm? The musical score?

3. The sequences in Africa, the Middle East, Afghanistan? The contrast?

4. The title, the use of letters, the importance of letters and communication? The opening, John being wounded, his letter, the memory of the coins, the ambiguity of the ‘you’? And the discovery later that he was addressing his father?

5. John as a not untypical American young man, a man of the 21st century? His father with his limitations, his memories, the coin collection? The absent mother? Waiting for his mother? Teen anger, drunkenness, brawling and fighting? Leaving home, the reasons for joining the army, his being a Green Beret, his skills, forming his character?

6. His holiday, seeing Savannah and the group, her bag falling into the water, his diving in, rescuing it, giving it to her, walking with her, her invitation, meeting her friends, the drink? Late for his father’s meal? His not contacting his father?

7. The romance of the two weeks, together, their friendship, meeting Tim and Alan, Alan as autistic? Surfing and teaching Savannah to surf? Her ambitions, the mentioning of John’s father being autistic and his negative reaction? Going to the meal, the threats for him to behave? The fight, his strength, the brutal attack, the shock? His sending the note to Savannah? The first of the letters?

8. John and his war buddies, the military camaraderie, the details of daily life, the letters arriving? In the Congo and its difficulties? In the Middle East? Eastern Europe? Afghanistan, action? His decision to stay in the army after the impact of 9/11?

9. 9/11, the visuals, the military watching, the effect on Savannah and the students?

10. John’s father, his character, autistic, the coins? Dressing up but not going to the party with Savannah’s parents? John and his meeting Savannah’s father, Tim and his telling the father that he had made the threats on his behalf? The jovial atmosphere?

11. The letters, writing to Savannah frequently, her responses? Sharing the details of their lives?

12. The arrival of the sad letter, after so many months, his burning Savannah’s letters, feeling hurt, reenlisting? The years passing?

13. John being wounded, the letter about his consciousness, the coins, thinking of his father? The moving impact of the letter to his father? Going home to recuperate? His determination?

14. In action, his father, illness and stroke, the final sequence with him, giving him the coins, sharing the letter? The emotional impact of the reconciliation and his father touching him? The funeral? Nobody present? John’s grief?

15. Going to see Savannah, expectations about her marriage, finding her on the farm, the fact that she had married Tim, was looking after Alan, his wanting an explanation, her trying to explain?

16. Savannah, the portrait of a strong young woman, her wealthy background, friends, going to college, the incident with the bag, the friendship with John, study, hopes, working with the handicapped? The letters? Her sense of obligation that she should marry Tim, look after Alan, Tim and his cancer? In hospital?

17. John meeting Tim, their talk, Tim’s frankness?

18. John and his selling the coins, to the dealer that he had met before, keeping the one coin, back in Afghanistan, using it to toss heads or tails about where the platoon should go?

19. The return, Savannah and the explanation, Tim and the money, the anonymous gift, his final months? A future for John and Savannah?