| A Walk to Remember |
| 2002, Warner Bros. Directed by Adam Shankman. Starring Mandy Moore, Shane West, Daryl Hannah, and Peter Coyote. Rated PG for language and dialogue, brief shot of a scantily clad woman. |
| Grade: B+ |
| Review by Anthony |
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| A Walk to Remember is a pleasant departure from most teen romance movies. It is about an unpopular, Christian girl who befriends (and later loves) a typical punk. The girl is named Jamie; she is the daughter of a Baptist minister and takes her faith very seriously. She is also the outcast at her school and is often mocked by her classmates. Landon, the typical punk, gets into some trouble; and by way of punishment, he is forced to work with the school's drama club in their next play, which Jamie just so happens to also be involved with. At first, Landon treats Jamie like everyone else does, but his inability to act well prompts him to ask Jamie for help. Gradually, a friendship is formed and then, of course, more than a friendship; but there's something about Jamie that Landon doesn't know. What makes A Walk to Remember different (and also the reason why I gave it as high a grade as a "B+") is that it replaces the usual obscenity of teen movies with themes of faith. One of the reasons Jamie is ridiculed is her strong commitment to her faith and her habit of always carrying a Bible. She believes in God very earnestly, and she doesn't really care if people judge her for it. As serious as Jamie is about her beliefs, she is also just as serious about her morals. Throughout her relationship with Landon, bed-time is never an option. This is made clear in a scene in which Landon spreads out a blanket on the ground and Jamie asks, "Are you trying to seduce me?" He asks if she is seducible even though he already knows the answer, a resolute shake of the head prompting him to pull out a second blanket. Some may object to the movie's amount of strong language, but I myself thought it was done in a justifiable manner. Landon and his in-crowd friends swear freely and often, but I thought this was accurate and realistic as it further demonstrated their state of punk-hood. It is also worth noting that (1) Jamie never swears and (2) Landon begins to stop swearing as he gets closer to her. As this sort of movie goes, A Walk to Remember isn't at all bad. It may not appeal to everyone. Some may find it too schmaltzy. Also, it is of course going to be more likely to appeal to females; but I still enjoyed it. So if you like this type of movie, I would heartily recommend A Walk to Remember. |