DVD Review: Nights in Rodanthe

Adrienne Willis, a woman with her life in chaos, retreats to the tiny coastal town of Rodanthe, in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, to tend to a friend’s inn for the weekend. Here she hopes to find the tranquility she so desperately needs to rethink the conflicts surrounding her–a wayward husband who has asked to come home, and a teenaged daughter who resents her every decision. Almost as soon as Adrienne gets to Rodanthe, a major storm is forecast and Dr. Paul Flanner arrives. The only guest at the inn, Flanner is not on a weekend escape but rather is there to face his own crisis of conscience. Now, with the storm closing in, the two turn to each other for comfort and, in one magical weekend, set in motion a life-changing romance that will resonate throughout the rest of their lives.

Review:
Nights in Rodanthe tells the story of two adults who find love when they least expect it: during a hurricane on the North Carolina coast. Adrienne (Diane Lane) is contemplating reconciling with her husband. She’s taking a much needed break to clear her mind by heading off to the coast and running her friend’s inn for a little while. With a hurricane approaching, the inn only has one guest, Paul (Richard Gere). Paul is a surgeon who has come to the coast to visit the husband of a deceased patient. The family is in progress of suing for wrongful death, and Paul is hoping that this chance to talk to them will help turn things around.

As the days unfold and the storm approaches, both Adrienne and Paul have an undeniable effect on one another, making them feel the joys of young love again and giving them hope for a future that will make them both smile. As they both go their separate ways in order to wrap up their previous lives, they keep in touch by writing each other letters, until at last they can be reunited.

The audience ends up on a bit of an emotional rollercoster, as one should expect when watching a movie based off of a Nicolas Sparks book. Overall, it’s a good movie, but it’s not something that the younger crowd will enjoy. In fact, the only thing that the younger crowd could enjoy is a brief appearance by James Franco who plays the son of Paul. It’s basically The Notebook for an older generation.

Review by Emma Loggins

Grade: B
Official site: http://nightsinrodanthe.warnerbros.com/
Buy on Amazon: Nights in Rodanthe