Safe Haven - Relativity Media

Is it worth $10? Yes

Valentine’s day is here, and you know what that means: Another Nicholas Sparks movie has arrived to work out your tear glands! And as much as I’m expected to lambast “Safe Haven” for being a replica of “Sleeping With the Enemy,” or point out the never-ending stream of clichés or heaps of movie cheese that makes up the final product…I just can’t do it.  I can’t do it because despite the fact that Sparks has a reputation for being the schmaltziest of the schmaltz, he has a duel reputation as being the romantic who penned “The Notebook” – and if it makes me lose credibility, so be it: I enjoy the books he writes, and many of the movies based on them. And believe it or not, “Safe Haven” is one of the better ones.

Directed by Lasse Hallestrom (who also directed Spark’s “Dear John”), the film kicks off with a surprisingly intense start: We see Katie (Julianne Hough), a terrified, long-haired brunette woman on the run after what looks like some bloody, violent encounter. When we see her next, she has short blonde hair, and has landed in the quiet, small town of Southport, North Carolina. There she attempts to live as under-the-radar as she can, renting out a small desolate cottage and doing little socializing with the outside world. However, those plans change when she meets Alex (Josh Duhamel), a widowed storeowner with two adorable young kids. They soon find themselves falling hard for each other – but little does Katie know that her past is coming to haunt her.

Safe Haven - Relativity Media

After the disastrous “Rock of Ages,” I’d pretty much written off Hough as another wannabe actress who should stay as far away from the silver screen as possible – but she’s actually quite good in this. As is Duhamel, who has a laid-back charm about him that showcases why he should get far more leading man roles than he does. Together, they’re magic. Still, there’s something about “Safe Haven” that makes forgettable. Maybe it’s the fact that this is our 8th Sparks outing and at this point, we need a little more oomph. “Safe Haven” tries to accommodate that need by adding in a thriller element, which involves a cop who’s obsessed with finding Katie’s whereabouts…and it works to some extent, showing us a side of Sparks we haven’t seen before. At least the men can’t say it’s all kissing and cuddling here.

As is expected, there are some rather unnecessary plot devices at work here, including a forced conflict toward the end as well as a plot twist that’ll have some viewers potentially throwing candy at the screen – but even so, this is still that kind of picturesque, sigh-as-you-watch romance that can’t help but satisfy that sugary-sweet craving we gals get around this time of year. It demonstrates neither transcendent against-all-odds love nor gradual realistic courtship…it’s just a sweet, melodramatic love story. “Safe Haven” is never anything more than “safe” – but it’s still your best-bet viewing this Valentine’s Day weekend.

Lauren Cohen is a film critic in South Florida. You can read her online at http://www.examiner.com/movie-in-miami/lauren-cohen.

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crystal26 said:

	... I saw this movie and definitely recommend watching this film on Valentines day, I would perfer watching this more than warm bodies and cold hearts.
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February 14, 2013
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cander71 said:

	... Saw this yesterday and loved it. Some aspects are a little cliche, but the movie is very engaging and keeps you interested through the end. If you are a sucker for tear jerkers and romance, this is your film.
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February 14, 2013
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babsinc1 said:

	... I liked the love story, but had a hard time connecting the past with the future.
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February 15, 2013
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zooey123 said:

	... This is my favorite movie of 2013 so far.
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May 10, 2013
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