"The Vow"
Release date: Feb. 10
Pitchfork: 3/5
Spyglass Entertainment
There is an uncomfortable reality to “The Vow” that lingers throughout its 104 minutes.
The plot of the film, which is loosely based on the true story of Krickitt and Kim Carpenter, stars Channing Tatum as Leo, a faithful husband who tries to help his wife, Paige (Rachel McAdams) regain lost memories of their relationship together in the aftermath of a car accident.
On paper, the plot elements of “The Vow” would theoretically make a good movie if they were combined with deft, sensitive and creative touches. Yet the elements of the movie seem more like a checklist than anything. Handsome man and beautiful woman who look good together on screen: check. Distant, affluent and disapproving parents: check. Ex-fiancé who still wants her back: check.
What if the five years of lost memories that Paige experienced during her time with her husband never return? Would she fall in love with her husband again, and how? Surprisingly, it is a question the movie never answers though it is the premise of the plot.
Both Tatum and McAdams do their best with the material, but the actors are not supported by a well-written script. The storyline is less invested in Paige’s recovery as much as it is in distracting subplots.
The melodramatic side stories crowd out far more interesting scenes that could take place between the husband and wife.
The predicament of the film is that its melodrama feels obligatory, and the relationship between Tatum and McAdams is underdeveloped. It also completely fails to provide any rooting interest in the couple early on. The later scenes of Leo and Paige’s plights together would have had more gravitas if the scenes before the accident had any texture or a few more realistic moments of intimacy. As they are now, the scenes involving their courtship lack any unique identity and could be from any clichéd romantic movie.
It is the small, personalized touches that are most needed in “The Vow,” as the film never feels like anything more than an artificial Hollywood recreation of a real situation.
Reach the reporter at tccoste1@asu.edu
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