FILM: The Vow

Imagine five years of your life erased form your life and the only thing you can remember is the life that you had left behind. In “a moment of impact,” that’s what Page (Rachel McAdams) has experienced. She wakes up in a hospital ward, with a ring on her finger and a man named Leo (Channing Tatum) claiming to be her husband. It’s almost as though, Reality has dealt her a card to either restart her life or continue the life she’s forgotten.

Storyline

Based on a true story, The Vow takes on the concepts of memory, memory loss and the uncertainties that come with having to remember. Opening with a glance of the life the happy couple lived and the car accident that changed it all, audiences are led through a journey with Page in an attempt to discover who she was and fill-in the gaps that have left so much confusion.

It’s a basic love story, 50 First Dates with a more ‘dramatic-take’ if you will. There’s nothing too drastic in terms of a miraculous discovery for her condition or a sudden epiphany that sparks her memory; it’s just a simple take in portraying a situation and dealing with it in a realistic way. The movie simply asks, “If you forgot all the reasons why you changed, would you go back to who you were?” and, “If you remembered, would it ruin the life you changed for or make the life you had better?”

Without spoiling the movie too much, I just want to say that there shouldn’t be too much hype brought up for this film. It’s literally a film about self-discovery and how that one person who would loves you (no matter what) would do what’s best for you; how that one person who would give you up even if they didn’t want to; and how that one person would hope that you would one day remember, but would understand if you never did.

The Cast

Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum work well together. You believed Tatum as the husband who would do all he could to get his wife back. McAdams plays her role beautifully as she balances between her roles of a doting and loving wife with a woman who became estranged from a man she once loved. Their dynamic was brilliant and I commend them both for their delivery.

I will say though that this is one of Tatum’s best roles in terms of being the lead. It was a role that was different to being the typical ‘eye-candy’ for the lead female. This role required a different dynamic where his emotions had to be rooted in a deeper love than the superficial puppy love that most chick-flicks are formulated on. I commend him for his achievement.

Overall

There’s not really that much to work with for this film. Like I said, it’s just a simple story. It’s one that girls will see with their mums and couples will enjoy. Not to sure if the boys / men will enjoy it, but it’s one they’ll endure if they have to. I’d recommend it for everyone just because it’s a simple story, but one with a powerful concept

sL Star Rating: 3 Stars

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