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'Nights' A Contrived, Sentimental Journey

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By CHRISTY LEMIRE The Associated Press

The Tampa Tribune

Published: September 25, 2008

Updated:

The last time we saw Richard Gere and Diane Lane, in the 2002 guilty pleasure "Unfaithful," they were possibly running off together after Gere's character murdered Lane's hot, young Parisian lover.

Ah, those were the good old days.

Their latest pairing, "Nights in Rodanthe," finds them falling for each other under circumstances that are even more contrived.

Gere plays a stoic surgeon on a mission to right a wrong; Lane plays an earthy mother of two who has separated from her cheating husband. Gere is the only guest at a remote coastal North Carolina inn; Lane just happens to be there at the same time, overseeing the place as a favor to a friend.

And wouldn't you know it? There's a hurricane on the way.

Surely you see where this is going - and because "Nights in Rodanthe" is based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks ("The Notebook," "A Walk to Remember"), you know it can't end happily. We wouldn't dream of giving anything away, but do bring a box of tissues if you're the sentimental type. You would pretty much have to be sentimental to tolerate such schlock, or at least be willing to check your cynicism at the multiplex door.

As unexpected lovers Paul and Adrienne, Gere and Lane make the first half of director George C. Wolfe's movie surprisingly tolerable, simply because they have such an obvious comfort with each other. Both have been around long enough to find some nuance within the potentially treacly script from Ann Peacock and John Romano.

By the time the storm arrives, Paul and Adrienne have gotten to know each other a little bit, exposed their histories and insecurities over too much wine, and even had enough time to suffer a misunderstanding. The torrential winds and rain ultimately cause them to reconnect and realize what's important.

Once they've cleaned up, they enjoy long walks on the beach as well as a few nights in the town of Rodanthe, a real place on the Outer Banks of North Carolina pronounced ro-DAN-thee.

Paul and Adrienne's evenings together, dancing under the moonlight, are like something out of a Viagra commercial. The long letters they exchange once they've said farewell and returned to their homes are cringe-inducing in their romantic effusion. But they also carry promises of starting over.

If there's any benefit to "Nights in Rodanthe," it's in the film's depiction of the possibility of finding love later in life. (Gere is 59 and Lane is 43 - ancient by starlet standards, of course, but she has never lost her fastball and actually looks lovelier than ever here.)

This ought to resonate with audience members who've lost a loved one after a long marriage or are hesitant to get out and date again after going through a divorce. It's not exactly a topic that Hollywood bothers with very often. Having said that, viewers of a certain age - of any age, really - deserve better.

MOVIE REVIEW

Nights In Rodanthe **

MOVIE BOARD RATING: PG-13; some sensuality

STARS: Richard Gere, Diane Lane

DIRECTOR: George C. Wolfe

LOCATION: See movie times, Page 9, for local showtimes.

PLOT SUMMARY: A man and a woman, each dealing with personal issues, find solace at a North Carolina inn.

RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes

ON THE WEB: nightsinrodanthe .warnerbros.com/

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