Nights in RodantheDirected by: George C. Wolfe Cast: Diane Lane, Richard Gere, James Franco Time: 1 hr 37 mins. Rating: PG-13

Plot: A weary and almost-divorced mother (Lane) finds more than she expected while escaping to her best friend's seaside inn in North Carolina. She meets a doctor (Gere) on a mission for forgiveness, and as a hurricane swells around them, they find in each other what they each so desperately need -- a second chance.

Who's It For? As with any Nicholas Sparks-based adaptation, Nights in Rodanthe won't have universal appeal. It's best for women, especially those who've hit some roadblocks in life, like divorce, spiteful children and painful loss. Thanks to the film's genuine emotional substance, it should be easy to relate to.

Expectations: Marketing makes it out to be sufficiently sappy, but at least it's a safe bet that with Gere and Lane (who previously teamed up for the steamy 2002 hit Unfaithful at least the acting will be solid.

SCORECARD (0-10)

Actors:

Richard Gere as Dr. Paul Flanner: Gere seems the most believable as the initially crass and seemingly self-absorbed Dr. Paul. He pushes everyone away (sometimes literally) in his desperation for self-acceptance, and as a result he almost fails to notice Adrienne (Lane). But it's the development of their romance -- from casual dinner acquaintances to BFF's who call each other out on their own neuroses -- that is most confusing, particularly on Gere's end. He's believable enough, but his character's behavior isn't quite sold by the end. Score: 7

Diane Lane as Adrienne Willis: It's as easy to buy Lane's frazzled, soccer-mom persona as it is to accept her as the quiet-mannered dinner date not sure whether to make the next move (she lights up the screen as both in this film). Lane truthfully captures her character's struggle for control of her life, and she makes us want her to succeed. This makes the ending of the film all the more poignant. Score: 9

Talking: This is one of the film's weaker spots. Though usually well-directed, the dialogue tends to slow the film down even more than necessary in places. Dramatic pauses and "contemplative gazes" are sprinkled liberally through the story line, filling in holes where there would (and perhaps, should) be more plot. During the couple's love-letter exchange montage (yes, we do have to sit through one of those), there's one truly cringeworthy line a la Gere: "Nothing can compare to the peaks and valleys I traced along the map of your body." Vomit. Score: 5

Sights & Sounds: The beach and inn where the couple fall in love is straight out of a dream, and the action utilizes it's quirky beauty well. As the impending hurricane grows more and more imminent, the emotional tension builds and eventually reaches a breaking point. This part of the film is perhaps the best, even if only because it's a nice change of pace from Gere staring wistfully off into the horizon. Score: 8

PLOT SPOILERS

Best Scene: Lane gets a chance to stretch her acting legs in a scene not too far from the end of the film. The range of emotion evident in her wordless reaction is stunning. If Unfaithful didn't make it clear enough, the lady can act (though admittedly, after Must Love Dogs, there was at least a shadow of a doubt).

Ending: Though it doesn't disappoint those who expect to leave the theater depressed, Nights in Rodanthe seems to lack a clear message - that is, unless its intended message is something along the lines of "Nice try" or "Sometimes, it IS too late..." What it needs most is the sense of well-founded optimism that usually comes with such endings, optimism that gives the audience at least a vague idea of what's next for the characters. For those in Nights in Rodanthe, it's anyone's guess.

Questions: The question that plagued me at the end regarded what I was supposed to make of the whole thing. Was I to believe that for a love story to be a great one, there had to be casualties? Or was it something about how true love can work equally well as a concept as it can a reality?

Rewatchability: Though some may be compelled to stare at the two charismatic stars some more, it probably won't be as much "fun" the second time around.

OVERALL Though it was a bit slow in places, and awkwardly shot at times, Nights in Rodanthe is a solid love story at its core. Its characters are (for the most part) well-developed, and the weight of the the story's outcome is substantial. Though it has many great narrative qualities, Nights in Rodanthe never quite strikes the same chord as the rest of its Sparks bretheren, The Notebook and A Walk to Remember.

Score: 6/10