Dear John
(M), 105 minutes
* * * 1/2
Pull up a chair and be a fly on the wall in this romantic war drama.
I was left with a strong feeling that watching the emerging relationship between Special Forces' Sgt John Tyree (Channing Tatum) and Savannah Curtis (Amanda Seyfried) was intruding
on something special.
Dear John takes us inside their world and we get a real taste of the isolation and heartbreak associated with families of soldiers.
John is a big, strapping lad who faces dangerous assignments in the world's hot spots with his unit.
There doesn't seem to be any time in his life for romance, until he accidentally meets Savannah on a beach during her summer break from university.
During a very special two weeks, a deep bond forms between the pair that has to survive 12 months apart when John has to go back to war.
They keep their bond strong with written words and their regular letters become the lifeblood of their relationship.
But the path of this romance is not destined to run true and Savannah crushes John's spirit with the news she is marrying a family friend.
With little to live for, John re-enlists, and the September 11 terrorist attack means he has a new focus in Afghanistan.
The only constant in John's life is his father (Richard Jenkins), who struggles to express his emotions but cares deeply for his son.
John's story doesn't end there as fate returns him to Savannah's world and to the truth of why she married someone else.
There is no doubt Seyfried is a star on the rise and Tatum certainly has an on-screen look and presence that is endearing to female audiences.
In this day and age, the dilemmas raised in Dear John are realistic results of the world we live in.
Don't be expecting a sugar-sweet romance, this is more about giving you something to think about as you enjoy a young couple discover what real love means.
