The Lucky One Directed by: Scott Hicks Starring: Zac Efron, Taylor Schilling, Blythe Danner Rating: PG-13 Release Date: April 20, 2012
TRAILER SCORE: 3/10
Thoughts by TSR: Even before his name popped up on the screen, I knew this had to come from a Nicholas Sparks novel. All the elements were there: an upright soldier searching for something, a hot, "good" woman, and a beautiful country settings. This one's a widow with a child and the guy is a creepy stalker, I mean upright soldier who "found" her picture while in Iraq. So he comes to help the widow and her adorable child, while trying to sleep with her, I mean "fall in love." If I was describing something that happened to your friend instead of movie characters, you would urge her to take out a restraining order. But because of the dissolves and uplifting music, it's all sweet and romantic.
Efron seems to be following Miley Cyrus' route to adult film roles, using a movie based on a Sparks book to transition. Schilling I hadn't heard of, probably because I never saw the short-lived TV show Mercy or the horrific looking Atlas Shrugged film. They're both pretty enough, maybe like Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling from The Notebook, this will lead them to better things. One can hope.