The Vow | Review
‘The Vow’ is a little different from other romantic dramas because it’s not about a guy and girl meeting and seeing if they’ll end up getting married and everything; the young leads in the film are already married. The problem is that the wife can’t remember any of it or even ever meeting her husband. Uh oh. The plot sounds very soap-opery, even though it’s based on a true story, but the film is handled delicately enough to where it doesn’t feel too over-the-top or melodramatic.
The young couple are Leo and Paige, played by Channing Tatum and Rachel McAdams respectively. The two have been married for four years, he owns a recording studio, she is an artist on the brink of putting on her own art show. They’re madly in love and happy as can be. But then comes the car accident. After this chilling, slow-motion sequence, Leo ends up fine. Paige, however, loses her memory of the past several years, which includes quitting law school, losing contact with her family, and breaking up with her ex-fiance Jeremy (Scott Speedman).
Through this unfortunate ordeal, Paige’s parents reconnect with her and, basically, try to take advantage of the situation. They don’t really like Leo, and they want her to come back home and return to law school. Leo, on the other hand, wants Paige to stay with him, to go through her normal everyday routine, in order to help regain her memory.
Jeremy soon comes into play and attempts to reestablish his relationship with Paige. Though Leo is the one the audience roots for, and though Jeremy is disliked because of the challenges he brings for Leo, in the end Jeremy isn’t a bad or evil character. In fact, Paige was the one who broke up with Jeremy. He’s the antagonist because he opposes Leo’s attempts to win his wife over again, but we can sympathize with Jeremy a little because he’s never really moved on from Paige. The same goes for Paige’s parents, who seem terrible for taking advantage of her memory loss, but they ultimately just want their daughter back.
‘The Vow’ is a well-made and sweet film that relies on its heavy predicament for emotional weight. For the most part, the memory-loss premise is used to great effect, as it’s very painful to see Leo try everything in his power to make his wife fall in love with him again. Everything he does for her, especially their dates, are heartwarming and fulfilling. But it’s also sad because none of this seems to have any effect.
Just like with any role she plays, McAdams’ performance in the film is pleasant and welcoming. And Channing Tatum has come a long way since ‘Step Up’; he seems to get better with every role he takes. He offers a charming and confident performance as Leo , and his acting in the dramatic field is improving.
In the end ‘The Vow’ is the perfect film for couples on Valentine’s Day. It would have helped if Paige’s memory loss was explored more, such as with her attempts to fit back in her past life. The film portrays her transition to her old life and friends a little too easily for someone who’s lost years of their life. A premise like this should have bigger and dire consequences, but they’re not as focused here. Whatever the case, Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum have strong chemistry and convincing-enough performances to make this an enjoyable film for the romantic holiday.
