The Vow

Alexis Nagle

Ms. Taylor

AP Language and Composition

11 February 2012

I think you deserve to look back on your life without resounding voices saying, I could have, but it is too late now.  There is a time for when words are not needed, but if you so clearly know how you feel, I think you should speak now.  In The Vow (2012), Leo Collins (Channing Tatum) never had the problem of verbalizing or demonstrating the compassion he had for his wife, Paige Collins (Rachael McAdams).  Through their shared glances, it was known that the love they shared was irreplaceable.

However, what would happen if one day the memories of their love vanished? While sitting in their car at a stop sign, Leo and Paige Collins were struck by a truck that could not break in time.  Although they both experienced emotional and physical effects caused by the accident, only Paige suffered lasting effects.   She lost any recollection of the past several years of her life.  Leo vowed to help Paige regain her memory for the hope that she would remember the love they once shared. 

The love story that unfolded was a heart-warming story that went beyond the words, “I love you,” it also incorporated relatable characters and phenomenal acting as if the actors did not notice the cameras.  But audience-goers will certainly recognize the impact of this incredible story.  Director, Michael Sucsy, and script writer, Stuart Sender, rose to the occasion in this deep-thinking romantic film by telling an emotional story how far someone will go to prove their love. The Vow is a romantic film that is unforgettable.

The Vow is a unique love narrative between two characters.  The film goes beyond the specific structure that romantic films seemed to have set.  There are countless romantic films based on the idea of finding love and realizing you are meant to be with the person you have known all along.  However, the characters in The Vow were deeply in love, but it faded away because of an accident.  How can you rebuild a love that was never supposed to vanish?  That romantic film has not been captured on camera before, until The Vow, which is reason enough for you to include on your must-see movie list.

A film that has relatable characters allows viewers to take the journey with the characters.  In acting, “There are no small roles, just small actors.”  Whether the viewer relates to the best friend or the main character, The Vow has someone you can compare to because of the deep human element the characters experienced. The different relatable qualities will be appreciated by many.

Acting is an important element in developing a remarkable film.  Actors who are unable to transform into their characters’ personalities result in the film to be at an amateur level.  However, the casting of the characters in The Vow was excellent, which allowed the acting to be exceptional.  Channing Tatum and Rachael McAdams delivered real emotion and emphasized the distinct characteristics their characters had throughout the film.  Channing Tatum’s charming personality worked to achieve the love of his wife and the several shirtless encounters helped to win the love of the audience, too.  Rachael McAdams proved again that romantic films are her forte as an actress.  Ryan Gosling fell for her in The Notebook and Channing Tatum certainly vowed his love to her as well.  

So ladies, put on your water-poof mascara and gentlemen do not hesitate to take notes.  The Vow takes its audience on an emotional roller-coaster behind the true meaning of love.

"I hope one day I can love the way you love me." (The Vow Quotes)

Sources:

"The Vow Quotes." Love Quotes, Quotes About Love. Web. 12 Feb. 2012.   http://www.lovequotestoday.com/2012/01/the-vow-quotes.html.

The Vow - Official Movie Site. Web. 12 Feb. 2012. <http://www.thevow-movie